


Wearing Your Scars

by mandapandabug



Category: Naruto
Genre: BAMF Umino Iruka, Child Death, Iruka Week, Iruka Week 2021, Iruka in danger, Kekkei Genkai | Bloodline Limit, M/M, Scars, Slow Burn, Umino Iruka-centric, Unethical Experimentation, experimentation on babies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:40:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29711061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandapandabug/pseuds/mandapandabug
Summary: Iruka had a secret.His parents always told him he was lucky; he could grow out his hair and hide the rough scar. He was of Konoha and shouldn’t have to bear any burden of their sins. What were their sins? He wished he had asked, but he was a rambunctious 10-year-old and was happy to just run freely about the village. He made some friends, but his parents were loners. They didn’t like Iruka to be out late or with people he had not introduced to them specifically. Now he understands their trepidation. Now he wishes he had more information. Now it is too late.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Umino Iruka
Comments: 14
Kudos: 28
Collections: Iruka Week 2021





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> TW/CW: This chapter (and later ones) will talk about experimentation on babies that leads to death of children (this is pretty much canon in Naruto though soooo... if you watched the series it isn't crazy out of line). Grieving parents are also involved in this chapter. Along with physical harm coming to a baby.  
> Later chapters will have the effect like Karin, where non-consent biting happens. I can label those chapters appropriately, but it's a while away.
> 
> This story is for Iruka Week!! Prompts 1 and 7: Scars and Kekkei Genkai (bloodline limits specifically nature transformations)  
> YAY Iruka week and thanks to all the mods who worked on it and all the other contributors!! I'm vibrating with excitement.
> 
> This chapter (and story) is a little dark, but there is some nice moments?  
> I really like writing Iruka's parents! This first chapter is all them and I really love them. I want more with them! haha. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy this story. It is incomplete as of right now, but I'm 16,000 words in already and almost done. I told myself I wouldn't post a story that wasn't finished, but I was too late for this one! Sorry y'all, but I'm pretty far and very motivated to finish! 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or any part of Naruto. I don't make any money from this. Parody is fun and free.

Umino Ikkaku looked over at his wife, Kohari. They had believed this village was going to change the shinobi world. They believed that they could help make the world peaceful and good here.

They believed that until their baby was marked.

They had defected from Konoha after they got married to come to Tsuchigumo. The relatively new village within the Land of Fire was a tentative ally of Konoha, so their defection was not listed as hostile. It was good, the new village was bringing many young couples into their comradery. Tsuchigumo offered free housing to couples who were within their first year of marriage, and offered free care of their infants, should they have any.

Ikkaku couldn’t believe that they had fallen for that.

At first, they were happy in the village. There were many new couples and they made easy friends with them all. One by one, their friends got pregnant and had babies. Kohari had a slower time getting pregnant than her friends, but eventually, she gave birth to Iruka.

Iruka was about 2 years younger than almost all his parent’s friend’s first children. Luckily, one couple had already had a second baby, born around the time Iruka was, named Eiji. Iruka and Eiji were inseparable, crying the instant one left the other’s line of sight. They were adorable together, Iruka was tan, even as a baby, with matching dark hair and mischevious black eyes, while Eiji, had skin dark as night, but with platinum blond hair and dazzling green eyes. They made for quite the chubby, babbling pair. All the parents cooed and awed whenever they held hands, which was almost always.

Luckily, they were both in the same care facility. Tsuchigumo had followed through with their promise to care freely for the babies of working ninja parents. It was nice for Kohari, who thoroughly enjoyed working and couldn’t imagine stopping to raise a child. Ikkaku picked up more slack around the house than the other father’s but he enjoyed it. He had a son and he was the proudest father in the village.

One day they were all home and enjoying family time when a messenger came to their door.

“Iruka’s been chosen for a special care facility. He is very promising, and the village elders are hoping to get some geniuses from those enrolled.” He said, handing over the official scroll.

Kohari opened it and read the orders. It was silly it seemed, to make an order to simply change where their child went for care. It was suspicious. However, the village had treated them well and was putting peace and the care of the children first. It was just as the First Hokage had envisioned, just not from Konoha.

Their illusion was broken like “kai” to a gen-jutsu just months later. Months too late.

It started when the parents of the older children in the special care facility started whispering that their kids had gained strange marks on their heads. They looked like brandings of strange symbols, almost reminiscent of the different hidden villages’ symbols. The children didn’t seem hurt and there was no blood, but the marks were real and deep. Then the marks faded, about a week later, the ugly indentations smoothed out and disappeared, not a trace left as hair started its slow regrowth.

The parents had badgered the facility folks over the incident, but all they were told was their children would be sent back to the normal building again. The parents felt like they were being punished for asking questions and soon they were all starting to feel more and more paranoid.

Iruka and Eiji were in the same class at the special facility, barely 1 year old. In fact it was Eiji’s first birthday when the mark appeared on his head. His mother was worried because her first born son had gotten very sick when the mark appeared on him months earlier.

His mother, Tomie, confided in Kohari and Ikkaku, “I’m worried, these marks aren’t in our imagination. They are evil. My Akio came home with it, the next day he was so sick. You remember right? He was feverous and we were so worried! Now Eiji has it, and he’s a full year younger than Akio was!” Her bright green eyes matched her son’s, and her worry was vividly expressed in them.

Kohari and Ikkaku were worried as well. They did remember how sick little Akio had been but didn’t realize it was right after the mark showed up. To their knowledge none of the other babies got sick.

The next day, they all watched Eiji; Kohari and Ikkaku brought Iruka over to their house for support. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.

The next day was the same. By the end of the week, Kohari breathed a sigh of relief. “This is good news isn’t it?” She asked her friend who was worrying her bottom lip terribly.

“The mark hasn’t faded,” Tomie whispered, as if special agents were going to storm her house if they heard her discussing the matter. “No one else had the mark past one week.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Iruka wailed. All the adults raced into the adjoining room. Iruka stood wobbly on his chubby legs over Eiji’s prone form. Kohari grabbed Iruka up into her arms as Tomie screamed, falling to her knees. Tomie gathered her son up in her arms, cradling him. Eiji feebly lifted his pudgy arm, weakly gripping his mother’s finger. Tomie laughed with relief, tears still streaming down her face. Eiji was breathing. He was weak though, and Ikkaku escorted Tomie to the hospital.

Iruka didn’t stop crying that night. 

* * *

Eiji was still in the hospital two days later. Tomie barely left his side and her husband, Akito, returned that evening from his long-term mission. Kohari and Ikkaku decided to leave the family alone to be together for a little bit. They were surprised when Akito showed up at their door the next day at dawn.

“How’s Eiji?” Ikkaku asked the distraught father, kissing Iruka’s forehead, grateful for his luck. Iruka giggled as his father's mustache hairs tickled his skin. 

“The same,” Akito said stoically, he was a true shinobi. “I didn’t come here to give an update. I needed to let you know what I have heard. While I was away from the village… I… heard rumors.” Akito looked around and gestured for the parents to come closer.

Kohari and Ikkaku leaned in, letting Iruka go play when he wiggled out of his father’s embrace.

“The marks. They are from tests. They are experimenting on our children. There is someone from Konoha consulting with the village elders and Kenichi.”

“Hāto-sama’s edest son?!” Kohari exclaimed, getting quickly shushed by her husband. “Hāto-sama would never allow that. Poor Shiranami, he worships his brother.” 

“I didn’t hear much more and there was no corroboration, until I came back and Tomie told me about the marks.” Akito looked at Iruka, playing happily. “Have they gotten Iruka yet?”

Kohari and Ikkaku looked at their boy. He was playing happily. His hair was longer, like his papa’s, so they hadn’t checked. They didn’t want to. Kohari soldiered over to her son and ran her fingers through his soft, new hair. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest that she thought everyone could hear it. “No mark,” she whispered, her heart slowed a little.

“You need to get out. There is no way they will wait,” Akito warned.

Ikkaku and Kohari looked at one another. They had duty scheduled and Iruka was to go to the facility for the whole day. They wouldn’t be able to sneak away until after. If they tried to left now, they would be found missing within twenty minutes max.

They packed everything they would need for the two-day journey back to Konoha in scrolls, hiding them on their persons. They would make everything look like a normal day and make their escape immediately after they finished that evening. Everything needed to be ready now.

“We will get the help of the Hokage. He is a good man! He will help you too. Maybe he can get Tsunade-sannin to help heal Eiji.” Ikkaku said gently to Akito. The man had kept up his façade of strength, but they knew he was suffering. They could see the sorrow like swirling grey clouds in his dark eyes.

“Good luck…” Akito said, sneaking out of their house before the sun was fully above the horizon. He made a path back to the hospital, finally allowing a single tear to roll down his cheek, safe and alone in the shadows of his broken village.

* * *

Kohari was the last to get home that evening, she walked into her house and was immediately grabbed by her husband, tears streaming down his face.

“They marked him.” Kohari stopped breathing at her husband’s words. She ran to her son and brushed her fingers through his hair again, Iruka crooned into the touch, Kohari cried as her fingers ran over the rough scar.

“We need to get out of here. We need to get to Konoha and maybe they can help! They have the best medics.” Kohari wiped her tears, face as serious as her tone. She was a jounin, and Ikkaku was a chuunin, she took command and he followed.

“We’re ready,” He said, wrapping Iruka into his holder, a simple cloth wrapped tightly around Ikkaku’s torso.

Kohari nodded and they ran out into the twilight. At the village gates, they pretended they were just going on a short hike to the nearby lake. “It is always so beautiful at sunset.” Kohari had exclaimed. Ikkaku admired his wife’s stoicism. He kept his eyes down, unable to hide his emotions like she could. Iruka looked up at his papa and giggled, it lifted Ikkaku’s spirit just a little. Just enough.

The gate guard simply waved them away, looking bored. There was not a curfew and it was Friday, many people walked around the area surrounding the gates. The parents felt secure to start seriously running only half a mile away from the village gate.

“Where do you think you’re taking him?” A deep, sinister voice smoothly asked.

Kohari couldn’t contain herself anymore. She knew that voice, “Kenichi.”

Before anyone could take one last breath, tags were exploding and jutsu’s flying. Ikkaku shielded baby Iruka and made a mad dash for a copse of trees. Ikkaku did not expect Kenichi to suddenly appear in front of him, blocking his path. The man was incredibly fast, and he had Ikkaku trapped in his arm, his short sword pressed to his jugular.

“One move, Kohari, and he’s dead,” Kenichi taunted. “Now, be rational, the village doesn’t want your family broken. You will be an asset. Your son could hold the key to our future as a village. We can’t survive without being bold! Testing our limits!” Kenichi had wide, crazed eyes as he held the blade closer to Ikkaku’s skin, drawing a thin slit of blood.

Kohari stopped dead, hands in the middle of forming seals for an exploding tag currently stuck to Kenichi’s side. He was too close to her baby. It was impossible. She lowered her hands, the tag floated to the ground, deactivated.

“That’s better.”

But right as Kenichi gave a victorious smirk, a flash of platinum hair appeared, knocking the back of his knees, giving Ikkaku the space to slip out of the grip. It wasn’t seamless though, and Iruka lifted his tiny face right as the knife jolted forward in the melee, slicing a deep, clean cut across his nose and cheeks.

Kenichi looked frightened, clearly not intending to harm the child. Tomie had arrived in the nick of time. The woman was almost unrecognizable, a shadow of her former self. Her hair was matted and her eyes bloodshot and dangerous. 

She immediately engaged with Kenichi, not even turning her head as she shouted, “Run! Save Iruka, one of them must survive.”

Kohari’s expression betrayed her as she looked at her friend, her broken friend, with palpable grief. To lose a child was an unbearable thought. Tomie was trying to save her from that pain. She would forever be in this brave woman’s debt.

Kohari grabbed Ikkaku’s hand, not wasting a moment of time as she heard the ring of metal on metal. Tomie was not going to let Kenichi go easily. He could see the crazed glint in her eye. One of them was going to die tonight.

Kohari’s ear soon lost the harsh sounds of battle to the gentle sounds of the forest. They ran off any path, heading north west instead of north east, hoping to lose any followers. Kohari was a sensor specialist but was mostly known for leaving no trace in the wild.

With a husband and baby, this task would be made infinitely more difficult. She knew that it was most important to clear your tracks in the beginning and leave another false trail. She sent water clones to do just that. They would escape. Tomie’s sacrifice would not be in vain. Kohari sent a prayer to whatever god was listening that the woman found peace, and that that bastard Kenichi never would.

“I need to stop and treat his cut. It’s bleeding too much!” Ikkaku was crying, trying to hold a cloth over Iruka’s little nose, but the baby was squirming and crying, his salty tears adding more pain to his wound. 

“Love, you have to make it quick, please! He can survive a cut, but he may not survive if we are captured before we make it to Konoha.” Kohari was in survival mode. She couldn’t feel anything at the moment, it was all washed out by the need to get her family to safety. She had the ability to compartmentalize any event occurring around her. It was one of the reasons she made jounin at 18. It also meant that when she finally broke, it took days to put the pieces back together. She wasn’t sure how long this break would take.

Ikkaku nodded, he was not able to compartmentalize, but he could handle stressful situations and get what needed to be done done, even through his tears. Ikkaku set Iruka down for a moment, the boy screamed. Ikkaku felt bad, but they couldn’t have him giving away their position. He put his son under a gentle, happy gen-jutsu.

The baby was lulled into a deep slumber, pouty little lips parted slightly. Ikkaku tried to steal himself, knowing he would have to cauterize the wound. It was the only way to stop the bleeding quickly without a medic. Iruka didn’t move or wake up as his father carefully and precisely burned the skin along Iruka’s nose with a perfectly controlled fire jutsu, just enough to seal the wound. It stopped the bleeding. Kohari handed her husband a bit of gauze and tape, and the man covered the wound as best he could.

“We need to go, NOW.” Hokari said as Ikkaku rocked his son, brushing away the stray hairs, stuck to his chubby cheeks with blood. Ikkaku blinked the tears away. His son would be OK. They would make sure of it. Iruka would survive.


	2. The Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW/CW: Story has talk about experimentation on babies that leads to death of children (this is pretty much canon in Naruto though soooo... if you watched the series it isn't crazy out of line).  
> Later chapters will have the effect like Karin, where non-consent biting happens. I can label those chapters appropriately, but it's a while away.
> 
> This chapter is short and sweet. Just introducing the the story. the CW/TWs don't apply to this chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or any part of Naruto. I don't make any money from this. Parody is fun and free.

Iruka was at dinner with Naruto. This was a regular occurrence since he was back in the village after trouncing around for three years with Jiraiya. They met once a week normally -as long as neither were on missions- and Naruto was both so much more mature while somehow also still the same rambunctious idiot as always. How could three years not change the boy at all, and yet, completely change him at the same time?

“Iruka-sensei! I have been trapped in the village for too long. Traveling with pervy-sannin has made me antsy. I think I need to take a mission and get away for a little bit. Maybe I can go to Sand and hang out with Gaara.”

“Naruto! What mission will be just to ‘go hang out with the Kazekage’?!” Iruka knew that Naruto was working very hard: trying to find Sasuke, going on important missions, training to control the 9-tails; he saw it every week. He knew that a break would probably be a good idea. “On second thought, I don’t doubt that seeing a peer of yours already a kage would motivate you…”

“Gaara is Kage!!” Naruto huffed, he always seemed upset when he was reminded, “I’ll be there soon enough, believe it!!”

“Then you need to be studying on this ‘mission’ you’ll be going on.”

“Iruka-sensei, always in teacher-mode.” Naruto laughed at his most precious person, gobbling down the ramen that was just placed in front of him. Iruka laughed with Naruto. He loved their dinners, it felt familiar and comfortable, even when they fought.

“Naruto, you need to prepare for the chuunin exam; all your peers are chuunin level or greater already!” Iruka complained. “The exams this year are going to be held in Mist. You should focus on your studies if you want to be the Hokage one day. They surely wouldn’t let a genin be Hokage!”

Iruka said it like a joke, but Naruto gave a very serious face. “You know I have to find Sasuke! I have a promise to keep.”

“OK, but you can do both,” Iruka tried to reason. He didn’t want Naruto to fall behind, and the boy seemed completely unconcerned that he would be missing this opportunity to advance.

“Well, what about you, Iruka-sensei?” Naruto pivoted and Iruka knew it. “You could become a jounin if you tried.”

“I don’t want to be a jounin. I don’t want to be given more dangerous missions or genin to train. I want to remain at the academy to help block-headed pre-genin like you graduate!” Iruka smiled warmly at Naruto.

Naruto smiled back, enjoying the banter, it felt like home. “Well, I’ll go to Mist if you go with me!” Naruto exclaimed. “You were there for my last chuunin exam and I would take it more seriously if I knew you were there.”

“Now, now Naruto, it would be strange for a random chuunin school teacher from another village to attend the exams. Tsunade-sama may give me permission if you asked her sweetly though.” Iruka made a kissy-mushy face at Naruto when he said the word sweetly. It made Naruto laugh, then cough on his mouthful of noodles.

Iruka quietly chucked at Naruto’s antics. He started scarfing down his own noodles thinking that maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to go attend the exams. Some other old students of his would be participating and it would be nice to leave the village. Distance makes the heart grow fonder after all.

* * *

The next day Iruka was called into the Hokage’s office. He wondered if Naruto really did ask Tsunade, but, then again, that would involve Tsunade agreeing to see Naruto before 9 AM. Highly unlikely.

Iruka entered the office with a smile on his face as he thought about sleepy Naruto, in his nightcap and PJs, stumbling in here. What a silly boy.

“Iruka-sensei, please have a seat,” Tsunade gestured to the chair covered in paperwork in front of her desk. Iruka made his way over, bowed to his Hokage once he reached the desk, placed the relatively small pile of papers on the ground by the chair, and sat as commanded.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of an early morning call, Hokage-sama?” Iruka began, much brighter and awake than Tsunade herself was. She was definitely not a morning person and by the looks of it she may have been a little hung over as well. He was just here a few days ago, and the paperwork towers were not any smaller. He didn’t envy her position.

“Iruka-sensei, I don’t envy your position,” Iruka blinked at the mirror of his own thoughts. To each their own he supposed. “But I know you love teaching those snot ridden brats. So, I hate to do this to you, but we need you to help with the chuunin exams this season.” Iruka blinked up at his leader, head cocked to the side, but not willing to voice his question to his leader.

“I know, I know, we normally don’t have teachers do this, especially pre-genin ones, and you also keep the mission room together.” Tsunade made that last part seem more important, and to her it probably was.

“But most of the chuunin or jounin who worked on the last exams are busy. Anko is busy, as you know,” Iruka nodded, he was friends with her after all, he knew about her determination to find Orochimaru. “Genma, Ibiki, most of our jounin from before are busy, and I can’t spare Izumo or Kotetsu right now with all this paperwork.” Iruka felt bad for those two as he looked at the precarious towers around him.

“So, who will you send? I mean along with me.” Iruka asked. Tsunade handed Iruka a mission report.

“Kakashi-san? Was he the only one available?” Iruka asked innocently.

Tsunade laughed bodily at Iruka’s attitude, “Oh, sensei,” she wiped the tears from her eyes. “You will also have Ebisu there since his team will be in the tournament but being the jounin leader disqualifies you from being a moderator as you know. You can ask him for any help you need in the background though. And as to Kakashi… Well officially he isn’t the jounin-sensei to anyone. Yamato is team 7’s leader now. Kakashi is technically free to be the jounin representative at the exams for Konoha. However, he will be… occupied much of the time with some other… items of importance.”

Iruka got the hint. He knew Kakashi was taking a lot of A-rank missions lately, so when he read his name, he was surprised he could be spared. It seemed he really wasn’t being spared at all. Iruka would pretty much be the only one whose focus was exam administration. Iruka had never had to do anything like this before and he tried to sound confident, but couldn’t keep the worry from his tone, “So, I’ll be the only member of the team able to properly represent the village?”

“Iruka, the job of the other villages is not to organize the events, it is to make sure the other villages don’t do anything nefarious and, of course, to help judge the contestants.” Iruka nodded, he recalled the representatives of the other villagers when they came to the exams in Konoha. They really didn’t do much, so Iruka was sure he could handle this mission.

“Ok, well, one more question, if it’s OK Hokage-sama,” Tsunade nodded at him to continue, “who will handle my class while I’m away?” Iruka really loved teaching, and he wanted to make sure his new batch was with someone good while he was away.

“Well, we will have summer break for part of it. There will only be a little time missing, so Shikamaru agreed to cover the remaining time. But if I need him on missions, your classes will have to make up the time somehow.”

Iruka nodded, sighed, and hung his head. “I see. He will have to cover about one week of classes. Can I make up any of the missing lessons on weekends or taking some days off other breaks?”

“Iruka-sensei, you are the expert, you can do whatever you want.” Tsunade dismissed Iruka with a wave of her hand.

Iruka bowed and left the room. This was an exciting change of pace. Iruka was rarely sent out on missions, and never to foreigner lands. He was excited to get to travel, if Naruto were any indication, travel can really change you.

* * *

Naruto agreed take the exam and accepted Kakashi’s nomination (again). His excuse for changing his mind had something to do with ‘keeping Iruka-sensei company’. This meant that Yamato joined their group. It also meant that Sai and Sakura joined. Sakura was allowed in as Iruka’s assistant and as medic for the journey, and Sai was there because Danzō insisted to the Hokage and the council. Though that reasoning was unknown to the group.

They were also traveling with the other nominated genin. There weren’t many of them, but they were rambunctious enough to be an army. Ebisu’s whole team was nominated even though they had just graduated last year. Iruka wasn’t in the nomination meeting this time, but that didn’t stop Ebisu from getting an earful from Iruka afterwards.

There was just one other genin nominee, Akiko, who was a part of a new student exchange program within the allied villages of the Land of Fire. She came to Konoha at 10 and graduated from the academy within a year. She had been part of a genin team in Konoha for just over two years now, ready to be exchanged back to her village at 13, but the jounin leader suggested she still take the exam this round.

There was no precedent for who would nominate or accompany the young ninja, so her current jounin teacher nominated her for Konoha, but allowed a member of her own village to escort her. Their first stop on the way to Mist was to pick up the escort.

Kakashi held the map out for the journey. The village was south of Konoha about a day and a half hard run. They would spend one night there, and then continue to the port which was just east of the village to take a boat into Mist.

Mist had a new Mizukage who had organized boats for the villages from different ports. The Leaf nin were matched with Sand’s to take the same boat at the same time. It meant that Kakashi had to plan for the group to leave three full days earlier than they would have had to to pick up their last member and make the rendezvous. Iruka had argued that he should just meet them at the port, but Tsunade rejected that. Apparently Gaara was going to the exams this year and their meeting time and port needed to be handled with extra secrecy.

Iruka, and indeed no one else from the team, was told that there was another reason they were stopping at the village. Kakashi was the only one told of this second reason. Tsuchigumo had a bit of a dark past, but they assured Konoha that they were no longer communicating with Orochimaru. Kakashi was going to make sure of that. If there was any information on Konoha enemy number 1, Kakashi would dig it up.


	3. A Different Kind of Snake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW/TW: Mentions of baby experimentation and death. Discussion of death of children... I know I'm cruel! It's important though!  
> Shiranami and Akaboshi are real characters in Naruto. They are filler characters I think, but you can totally look them up to see what they look like. I don't really describe characters (I need to work on this!) but there are pictures of them since they aren't made up by me! haha.  
> 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or plots on Naruto. I make no money from this. Parody is fun and free!

Shiranami wasn’t stupid. He knew that Konoha would never put their full trust in Tsuchigumo again. He was young when his brother started the experiments. Their village had a secret kinjutsu that was storable on the body. It took a little finagling, and some assistance from Orochimaru, but Kenichi and he had figured out how to store other jutsu. They had figured out more than just storage too. Their research could forever change the ninja world. They just had to test it.

Kenichi convinced the elders to bring newly married ninja into the village, saying that it would bring them many new ninja from their children. Their tiny village could become as great as the five big, a rival to Konoha within the Land of Fire. Only a few of the elders, Kenichi, and Shiranami knew the real reason for wanting the young couples.

They had their first batch of test subjects within two years. They created the special care facility for the ninja children and would cast genjutsu on them before experimenting.

They were just figuring out the kinks when that brat Eiji died. Shiranami had shown up just in time to help his brother kill the mother. It was a brutal battle even with the two of them, and his brother was badly wounded.

When the Hokage had found out about their experiments from the escaped couple, they knew they would have to figure something out.

Kenichi and one of the elder councilmen took all the blame. They said they were testing some DNA manipulation, which was partially true, and handed over fake research. They didn't want their real research to be discovered. They had hope that one day, they would be able to continue. Shiranami was happy he could at least still visit his brother in prison, and he wasn’t sentenced to death. He would go and, in code, discuss the research theories and Shiranami would bring back any new insight from his brother to the lab. It was all theoretical, but he thought that maybe something good could come of all this. They had about 10 years like that. Until The Tragedy.

One by one, the 11 and 12-year-olds started to die. It was quiet, in their sleep normally. It devastated the village who had gotten to see the young pre-genin grow, knowing nothing about the tests that were performed on them. The Tragedy, as it was officially dubbed by the media, caused an international scandal for the Land of Fire. The response was swift, the prisoners were set for execution. 

Shiranami lost his brother permanently. The village lost their beloved pre-genin class. Their blight was, however, overshadowed by the Kyuubi attack only weeks after their Tragedy, most of the Land of Fire forgot about those kids. Shiranami didn’t forget any of it. He never forgot.

That was 15 years ago. Although he still visits his brother’s grave at night, most of the village had moved on with their lives. The parents of the deceased children all left, memories too painful to remain. Shiranami still wonders what went wrong. Their last experiment escaped, so he was left afloat in a sea of research hidden in his basement. Their work could have put their little village on the map. If allowed to continue, maybe he could have saved those kids. Maybe he would have found the error and corrected it in the 10 years between the failure and their deaths.

Instead, he was alone, there was just a small faction left that still believed their village could and should gain more power in the world. No one on his caliber though so, he had to hide and work in secret. He tried to contact Orochimaru once, but the sannin never responded. It was too risky anyway; he didn’t want to be caught.

So, it was with shock and awe when he saw what looked like a mustache-less replica of Ikkaku walking into their village. The thick scar bisecting his face synched it, his experiment worked. There was hope. There was Iruka.

* * *

Naruto exhaled loudly, hands on his knees, “Phew! Finally, we’re here! Kaka-sensei, that was an unfair pace.” Konohamaru looked like he was trying to put on a fake nonchalant machismo, but his wheezing was making it very difficult and he gave up.

Kakashi was not paying the slightest attention to the boys though. He walked in back straight and eye alert. It put the other adults on edge, especially Tenzou.

Hāto, the village chief, greeted the group at the gate. He was an imposing figure, tall and broad, hair salt and peppered with age. He was a good man, Kakashi knew this from the intel. He housed some sort of explosive kinjutsu that could destroy a village, but was himself calm, rational, and friendly. The Sandaime had personally seen to it that their treaty involved sealing the kinjutsu so it would be rendered useless. Hāto agreed, and though his body still holds the jutsu, he couldn’t release it even if he wanted to.

That was what the intel said at least. Kakashi wasn’t sure he trusted the members of this village, but it had been a long time, not since the third shinobi war, that the kinjutsu was used. He would have to concede some of his paranoia. He didn’t, however, have to be comfortable. Hāto looked older than his 57 years, and haggard. Kakashi knew he had lost a son to execution and betrayal. To others this may have made him more sympathetic, to Kakashi, it made him more suspicious.

“Greetings esteemed guests and allies!” Hāto bowed slightly in respect. The entire crew reciprocated the bow only lower, except Kakashi who only nodded his head.

“I am the chief of this humble village; you may call me Hāto. Let me show you around before the reception.” 

There were few others there to greet the Leaf group. Only two other men and a woman. The woman looked like a civilian and when she saw Akiko, tears started to build in the corners of her eyes.

Akiko ran to her, unable to stay behind the formality any longer, and embraced her. Hāto looked pleased by the scene. The other two men seemed impassive.

“If you don’t mind, Kakashi-san… I would like to spend the evening with my family.” Akiko bowed low to her superior and the mission lead.

“We meet again here at 0600.” Was his curt response. She nodded and the two women ambled down the street towards home.

“Reunions are lovely, no?” Hāto looked sad as he said it and the older ninja knew exactly what he meant. Few were lucky enough to have reunions anymore. “Anyway, this is my son Shiranami,” Shiranami snapped to attention, Kakashi didn’t notice what had his attention before, but it was someone in their group. Probably Naruto, he was an attention grabber. “And this is the escort, Akiko’s cousin and former sensei, Akaboshi.” The huge man next to Shiranami smirked at the group. Kakashi hated cocky ninja from small villages. Big fish in a small pond made for some of the worst company.

“Shall we?” Hāto gestured to the path, turned, and led the way into the village.

Naruto and his minions (specifically Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi) were excitedly visiting every stall, smelling every food item, and generally being nuisances. Sakura and Sai watched them wearily. Occasionally, Sakura would punch Naruto to keep him in line. Ebisu and Iruka were walking side-by-side, but not interacting, instead trying to listen to Hāto as he rambled on about the village. His son and the escort keep stride with the chief. Kakashi was bringing up the rear with Tenzou.

“What’s got you on edge, Kakashi-sempai?” Yamato always used the formal title.

“Tenzou… Maa, you know, new place and all. Besides, when have I ever been off the edge?” Kakashi said, not giving away one iota of his true intentions in the village. This place gave him an uneasy feeling, but he couldn’t quite place who, what, when, or why just yet. It would be a long night.

“Call me Yamato, please, we are outside the village!” Yamato was the official name given to Tenzou for his stint as Naruto's guard and he honestly liked it. Why couldn’t Kakashi give up on the old name?

Kakashi never conceded easily, but they were in enemy territory, so it would probably be better to stick to protocol. “Only in public then, Ya-ma-to.” Yamato rolled his eyes but was pleased Kakashi actually listened to him for once.

They fell into silence after that, never really the most talkative pair in the best of circumstances. Kakashi observed the man who would be joining their group. He had short black hair and huge sideburns. Kakashi generally distrusted anyone with sideburns. It had never steered him wrong before.

The man also wore a very low collared shirt, showing off a mesh undershirt and some large metal ball embedded in his chest. It was off putting to say the least. Kakashi would make sure to keep an eye on him.

* * *

Shiranami wasn’t sure what to think. His mind was swimming and it was hard to focus. There was a man in this group that fit every descriptor for the lost experiment. His brother had told him, long after their fight with Tomie, while he was rotting in that prison cell, that he had accidently cut the boy across the face, right over the bridge of his nose.

It was a rare scar to have, and Shiranami had only been able to find a couple nin with it in all his searches. After all the other experiments had died, Shiranami kept an eye on the obituaries for any mention of a scarred 11-year-old. He was sure the parents had fled and stayed in Konoha, but he didn’t want to bring attention to himself to go visit for research. He had truly lost hope when his brother had died.

Now hope was walking only a few paces behind him. He would do some sleuthing to make sure. There was no need to get his hopes up just to dash them.

Shiranami looked over the other ninja in the group. The children were occupied, but the most powerful two were in the back, vigilant. He didn’t want to alert them to his plans, but he had to know. He noticed that Kakashi, the leader, seemed to have tunnel vision on Akaboshi. It was as good a time as any.

He slowed his pace minimally, slipping into stride besides the scarred man. Luckily his father had stopped droning on about their village goals and ideals and about the best ramen shop.

“I’m sorry you must listen to my father all evening. He’s very proud of the village.” Shiranami smiled, he was good at this fake, friendly façade.

“No need to apologize, I love to hear about the will of fire being spread to other villages.” The man turned a bright, open smile on Shiranami. He felt self-conscious suddenly, that his own smile was so pale in comparison to the warmth of this one. The scar shifted ever so slightly, crinkling up at the very ends. The man was the spitting image of Ikkaku, who was himself so open and emotive.

“I’m Umino Iruka, by the way. Shiranami-san, was it?” Umino. Shiramani couldn’t stop the true smile that spread over his features.

“Yes, yes, it is.” Iruka nodded and eventually broke eye-contact as Shiranami continued to smile strangely and stare at him. The broken eye-contact finally lifted his spell, and Shiranami looked around himself.

No one seemed any different or suspicious. Kakashi was still focused on Akaboshi, who had fallen into pace with Ebisu. Iruka could be the answer to his prayers. He could help their ragged little village get out of the weeds and onto the main stage.

“Good to meet you, Iruka-san.” Shiranami extended his hand, Iruka took it and shook, unaware of his role in the reshaping of the shinobi world.

* * *

Tsuchigumo really knew how to throw a shindig. Iruka was trying to have a good time, but the chief’s son, Shiranami, was staring. It was off-putting. Every so often, Iruka would feel the tingle at the back of his neck and look up to see Shiranami divert his gaze. What was wrong with him?

Iruka knew he didn’t have anything on his face, he asked Naruto about a hundred times.

“Iruka-sensei,” Naruto whined his name like he often did when he was annoyed with him, “The only thing on your face is your scar. Which has always been there. Why are you asking? You have a hot date?” Naruto wiggled his eyebrows looking around the room for any potential ladies Iruka would like. Then he remembered his company was not Jiraiya anymore and stopped mentally calculating bra sizes.

Iruka blushed, “Naruto, of course not. I’ve never been here, how could I have a date?”

“You have a date, Iruka-sensei? How exciting. Remember, 0600 tomorrow.” Kakashi’s eye arced, indicating he was amused, what exactly he was amused at was beyond Iruka.

“Please, stop. I don’t have a date. I just… I’m just a little uncomfortable, that’s all.” Iruka stated cryptically, taking another bite of his fish. Tsuchigumo was closer to the coast than Konoha, and so the seafood on offer for dinner was superb. He tried to focus on the food and not on his surroundings. There was something oppressive about the village. 

Kakashi set a calculating eye on the teacher. Iruka was pretty good in a social situation and was polite to a fault in general. To admit to being uncomfortable made Kakashi wary. He didn’t want to give anything away, so he pretended to accept Iruka’s reasoning and pushed the scraps around his plate. He had found his opening and inhaled his food earlier, no one getting a glimpse under the mask.

Kakashi had kept a close eye on Akaboshi and deemed him a lug. Even the genin should be able to handle him, which put Kakashi at ease to a degree. He doubted Iruka was nervous about him, though he was just now eyeing their table as the chief’s son whispered to him.

“Don’t be too paranoid, Kakashi-senpai.” Yamato whispered, eating slowly and enjoying each bite.

“I’m never paranoid, innocent kohai. Never.” Kakashi didn’t think it was paranoia on his part, that caused him to create a clone and to have that clone hide in the rafters eavesdropping on anyone and everyone.

Yamato rolled his eyes. There was no getting through.

“Naruto!” Almost all eyes turned to Iruka and Naruto. The good sensei had the good sense to look embarrassed at his yell and the state of his face. Naruto looked sheepish, but also highly amused as thick sauce dripped off Iruka’s chin.

Konohamaru burst into laughter and Naruto, to his credit, turned a critical eye to his disciple.

Iruka was mortified as he turned toward Hāto’s table. He bowed deeply and when he raised, made his excuses before heading to clean up.

Luckily, they were shown their quarters earlier in the evening and Iruka could make his way back there alone easily from the reception venue. 

Shiranami whispered something to Akaboshi and the large man quietly stepped out of the hall. Kakashi was highly suspicious and eyed his clone, giving it the silent command to follow.

* * *

Iruka was secretly thankful that he could make his escape from the hall. As good as the food was, and, licking his lips, he was reminded of the heavenly sauce, it was also stuffy. Iruka felt stuffy all over the village though. It was a nice place too. The people seemed friendly enough, waving and smiling like they do in Konoha, but there was a feeling of melancholy as well. Iruka chalked it up to his lack of traveling experience.

He was probably just reading into things.

Iruka was happy that he was going to get the shower to himself. The bathroom in the guest house was communal, and Iruka wasn’t shy about public nudity -onsens were a favorite for him after all- but he couldn’t take his hair down with company. He was happy he would get this chance to be alone and shampoo.

He never understood why his parents were so adamant that he hid his scar. He couldn’t hide the one across his face, so why bother with the one in his hair? In fact, with his hair long, it was hard to see anyway. Plenty of ninja had scars and he already had a very distinct one, so who cares if there was another?

Then Iruka remembered his parent’s overprotectiveness. He never knew why they were that way, but he still carried a guilt at not being able to save them. He would not disrespect their wishes by showing off the mark. It was a weird one anyway, shaped like the wavy line of the Mist. He didn’t understand why or how, but he didn’t want anyone seeing it and making strange assumptions about him either.

Iruka got out his sleeping uniform and spare underwear and headed to the bathroom. Luckily there were curtains around the spacious stall showers, so he could put his clothes and towel in the dry area, toss his hair tie on top of his undies, and feel comfortable taking his time massaging his scalp. Naruto really got that sauce in deep.

He was rinsing when he heard a commotion from just outside the bathroom. Iruka closed his eyes and focused his chakra into his sonar-sensing technique. He could “see” two males arguing outside the washroom doors. One was Kakashi and the other was that man who was with Hāto’s son. Iruka quickly dried off and put his hair up. No need to risk being exposed if they walked in.

* * *

Kakashi’s clone had watched as Akaboshi kept to the shadows, clearly thinking he was being sneaky. He was very much not sneaky enough. Clearly this man was a big fish in a little pond in this backwater town. It comforted Kakashi’s clone. Thinking that if this was one of the best ninja in the village, it was clear that the place wasn’t much of a threat.

Before the man could open the door to the washroom, Kakashi’s clone dropped into view.

“Yo.”

The man gasped, but quickly composed himself. “Gah! Oh, Kakashi… What are you doing here?”

“I believe I will be sleeping here. What are you doing here is the real question.”

“I’m going to be a member of this team as well; I was just making sure your arrangements were all in order.”

It sounded like a very weak excuse. Did this man have any interrogation training at all? What was he good for?

Suddenly Iruka was opening the washroom door, freshly showered and in his pajamas.

“Hello gentlemen.”

“I see you got all that sauce out of your hair, sensei.” Kakashi said blithely, hands stuffed into his pockets and slouch back in place.

Akaboshi noticed Kakashi visibly relax, and he smiled at Iruka, “you're a teacher? I was one too, before my student was placed in the exchange. I’m looking forward to talking with you about teaching styles, Iruka-sensei.” He bowed and made his escape.

“What was that all about?” Iruka asked, not turning to Kakashi as he watched Akaboshi’s retreating form. Kakashi was impressed by the level of suspicion the sensei seemed to be displaying. The Iruka he knew was passionate, but always very kind and open to people. He was happy to see Iruka was not going to be so trusting and open to a stranger outside their home.

“I haven’t the foggiest,” Kakashi responded. When Iruka looked over at him with an expression that clearly stated “I DON’T BELIEVE YOU” in bold letters, he simply gave a two fingered wave and poofed out of existence.

* * *

“Should I try and get in their room again, boss? I can check while everyone’s sleeping?” Akaboshi asked Shiranami in hushed tones.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Shiranami scolded. Akaboshi looked sufficiently chastised, but Shiranami didn’t have time to care. He had to make a plan before 0600 when the group would leave.

“I mean, he’s alive, boss, isn’t that an indication that it all worked? And you still have the spare notes, so we can start the experiments again!” Akaboshi looked ravenous. He wasn’t the brightest tool in the shed, but he was motivated by something Shiranami could understand and manipulate: power.

“We need to confirm the mark. I’m sure it must be there, or he would have died like all the other children whose marks faded, but you never know for sure. If the mark is not there, then the implanted DNA was probably removed. He could have just been healed somehow; we know that Konoha had Tsunade after all. Maybe she figured out how to remove it. I was sure that last experiment would have kept the power hidden from even the best detection though…”

“What should I do, boss? We can’t just let him go!”

“That’s exactly what we will do. You need to get confirmation. I will make some connections in the meantime. I need you to be ready. I’m going to make some big moves that will put this village on the map finally. We deserve recognition. With or without help from Konoha or Orochimaru. There are other villages that will be more open to our ideas.” Akaboshi looked with admiration at his leader. Shimanami preened, clearly liking being followed.

“So, you will join the group as normal. Once you get confirmation of the mark, you will alert me.” Shiranami handed the man a scroll, “use the summons. Send red if yes, black if no. I will meet you in Mist if yes. Find out before you arrive there since you will not get the chance once you arrive, preferably figure it out before the boat. Don’t fuck it up.”

The man nodded, bowed, and left without another word. Shiranami stayed only for a few more moments before he exited his lavish office in the village headquarters.

Kakashi stayed in the shadows long after they both left. He wasn’t sure who in their group Akaboshi was commanded to investigate. He had talked to Ebisu earlier, he had observed Naruto during the dinner, and he had followed Iruka into their lodging. He could have been already investigating one of them, or he was getting a feel for people who could get in his way. The only commonality between those three was Konohamaru.

He rubbed his eyes. It could be anyone, but he needed to make sure the young ones were protected. Who would have been experimented on as a child? There was Tenzou, but he was sure that had nothing to do with this village. Naruto had the seal mark, but that wasn’t something that should need confirming and had nothing to do with Orochimaru. It was late on an already grueling day, and his attempts at looking underneath the underneath were slower than normal.

A message needed to be sent to Tsunade immediately. Clearly the village wasn’t in cahoots with Orochimaru, but they were far from innocent. They were going to make a power move and it was clear they weren’t concerned for the morality of their new allies. In fact, they seemed to need an alliance of more unscrupulous means.

Kakashi sighed, sure now that the coast was clear. He had hoped that he wasn’t going to need to be so “on” for their journey, but he was mistaken. There would be a threat to an unknown target in their party. He would have to inform Yamato. He needed another set of eyes, especially on Naruto. Kakashi could handle the rest. Probably.

Kakashi was already tired. He decided he would get a few hours rest at least. Technically he had gotten the kind of information he was assigned by Tsunade to gather, so he earned himself a bit of rest. He suspected it wasn't going to get any easier.


	4. Secrets Reveled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warning for this chapter. Just some feels.  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or her characters. I do not earn money from this. Parody is fun and free!

The young ones were enraptured. Akaboshi had turned from bumbling fool to charming mentor overnight. Kakashi did not let up his vigilance, but the man was oozing a cool confidence and seemed to be innocuous enough. Kakashi couldn’t wait until they were at Mist and separated again. He had confirmed that they would all have their own rooms as dignitaries, and he couldn’t wait to take his mask down and relax behind locked doors.

Yamato was sitting with the teens, observing the magic trick that Akaboshi was showing them.

“Where did my coin go!?” Naruto’s mile-wide smile disappeared as he grabbed the man’s hand, looking for the lost coin. Everyone else laughed loudly at the display.

“You idiot, it’s just a trick.” Sai deadpanned.

“Then why don’t you tell me where it is, idiot!”

“That would be hard to do, since it’s actually right behind your ear,” Akaboshi pulled his hand from near Naruto’s head. Kakashi didn’t miss Yamato flinching when the man’s hand came near Naruto, but he didn’t jump in.

Naruto grabbed his coin back and put it safely in his fat frog wallet. Naruto knew all too well the hardships of having an empty wallet, and he savored the frog’s full belly as much as he savored his own.

“Ok, Ok, no more coin tricks.” Akaboshi smiled, disarmingly at Naruto, who pouted, but seemed to forgive the stranger. He was too forgiving for Kakashi’s taste, it could only end in tears. He must have gotten that from Iruka.

Iruka and Ebisu came back to the fireside after setting some traps and barriers up for protection. The team had made it to the port by nightfall and were making camp just on the outskirts until the team from Sand arrived and they could depart the following morning. They were trying to be discreet so there wasn’t any suspicion of the Kazekage’s arrival the next day. With Naruto around, discreetness was always an issue. They decided camping was easier than finding an inn.

Yamato had erected an open sided structure for them to sleep under for protection from any rain or dew. They left their bags under there while they were by the fire staying warm and entertaining one another.

Iruka sat next to Naruto, asking him what his pout was for. Ebisu went to stand next to Kakashi who was leaning against a tree reading his newest Icha Icha. It was the perfect angle to see everyone around the fire.

“Tactics? That one must be new? Could I borrow it when you’re finished?” Ebisu asked, clearly trying to sneak a peek over Kakashi’s shoulder.

“No.” Kakashi snapped the book shut and put it in his hip pouch. Ebisu wasn’t dumb enough to try and steal from him, so Kakashi wasn’t too worried, but he was tired of being on edge all the time on this trip and didn’t need to have another man to keep watch on.

“You have been very paranoid lately, Kakashi. I may not know you as well as Yamato or Gai, but we were peers you know.”

“We were never peers.” Kakashi answered coldly. Ebisu had a family and support. He was rude and elitist. Kakashi didn’t like being associated with him. They were both known as perverts, but at least Kakashi openly advertised his.

Ebisu didn’t take the bait. “Let me in Kakashi, something is up and I’m the other jounin.”

Kakashi didn’t want to bring another confidant in, but he couldn’t rule out Konohamaru, Udon or Ebisu himself as a target, and it wouldn’t do good to leave Ebisu out of the loop. He could have Ebisu watch over his team more closely and alleviate Kakashi’s burden.

“Akaboshi is planning something. He was instructed to gather some kind of intelligence about one of us from Shiranami. I’m afraid I know little else, but you should keep a close eye on Konohamaru. He is important to the village after all, and he’s your responsibility out here.”

Ebisu became very serious at the accusation. “You don’t have any other information? What do they plan to do with this intelligence? What could they possibly need to know?”

“Do you or Konohamaru have any markings? Anything distinct? Or that other boy… Udon?” Kakashi wanted to be cryptic, he had told Yamato everything, but he didn’t trust Ebisu in the same way.

Ebisu thought for a moment before responding seriously, “I don’t, and to my knowledge the only mark on Konohamaru is one mole on his right butt cheek.” Kakashi raised his eyebrow at that. Ebisu had the decency to blush and stutter, “he mooned me a lot as a small child… the hellion.” 

Kakashi chuckled at the thought of Konohamaru, elite royalty in the village, with his pants down. “So, no marks. What about Udon?”

“I have never seen Udon. I know that Udon has never left the village. As a child his mother used to watch Konohamaru while his parents were on missions… and after… well you know.” Talking about the death of Konohamaru’s parents was avoided at all costs in front of the boy. It didn’t help his temper one bit. “I’m not sure what this mark you are looking for is, or how it is gotten, but I’m not sure… Seems unlikely, Kakashi.” 

With Ebisu’s admission, Kakashi was only unsure about Sai and Iruka. Sai had been quiet and Akaboshi had given no interest to the teen, so Kakashi assumed he was not the target. Perhaps it was all part of the plan and Sai was the target. He was in ROOT after all, and Orochimaru and Danzō had worked together. Maybe the mark was the silencing tattoo?

Ebisu had a point though. What was the purpose of the mark? Why did it matter?

Akaboshi hadn’t seemed to be focused on anyone in the group in particular. He had run near Iruka for some time and had talked about lesson plans a little, then moved to Ebisu and discussed being a mentor and tutor for a while, and now his focus was on Naruto and magic tricks.

“Ebisu, just keep an eye on your team. It will take that burden off me.”

“Naruto!” Iruka cried for the second time in 24 hours. He was combing his hair so most of it fell to one side, nervously. Kakashi’s eyes landed on the sensei, he looked scared and it brought heckles throughout Kakashi’s body. He moved without thought, standing in front of Iruka, blocking his ally from Akaboshi.

“What? Akaboshi-sensei asked for an elastic for his next magic trick and you have one!” Naruto was flailing about, Iruka’s hair tie in his hand. When he made eye-contact with his former sensei, he could sense something was very serious and wrong, but he didn’t understand what. Iruka was clearly trying to contain his incredible rage. Naruto was used to that rage. He wasn’t so used to Iruka controlling it though.

“It’s… it’s nothing Naruto. Don’t worry about it.” Iruka tried to smile reassuringly at Naruto, but the teen wasn’t buying it. Clearly, he had done something bad for Iruka to get so twitchy. Iruka looked like he was desperately trying to remain calm and failing, his hands kept fiddling with his loose hair. Kakashi wasn’t sure what to do, clearly this wasn’t a life and death situation.

“It would just be for a moment, Iruka-sensei,” Akaboshi calmly said, it sounded like he was trying to defuse a situation but the look in his eyes was like he was a predator nearing his prey. 

Naruto handed the man the elastic band, excited for the trick and already forgetting his uncomfortable sensei next to him.

“I’ll need a volunteer, and since it’s your band, why don’t you help me, Iruka-sensei?” The lecher asked innocently, Kakashi wasn’t buying it.

Iruka looked up at Kakashi, the look in his eye made it clear he needed help. Kakashi didn’t know what was wrong, Iruka looked good with his hair down and flipped to one side. But to abandon one’s friends made you worse than garbage, and Kakashi liked to think he and Iruka were friendly at least.

“Maa, I would like to see this trick up close.” Kakashi left no room for argument as he plopped down in front of Akaboshi. Iruka sighed in relief, clearly hoping to keep a low profile. It was highly suspicious, and Kakashi was going to get Iruka alone as soon as this was over.

Akaboshi’s eyes kept shifting to Iruka, but he kept up appearances as he brought the band between his fingers. “Watch carefully. On its own, the band will move from being wrapped around these two fingers,” he spun the band, so it was tight on his pointer and middle fingers low by the knuckles, “to around the other two fingers.” He indicated to the ring and pinky fingers.

Naruto, Konohamaru, and Udon were the only ones who looked interested. Sakura and Moegi were clearly also interested, but they were hiding it poorly. Sai was discussing something with Yamato, clearly not paying any attention, and Iruka was watching with a strangely stoic expression on his face.

Akaboshi made some flamboyant hand waving motions and made his hand into a fist. He had clearly done something with the band when he curled his fingers, and Kakashi rolled his eyes. “Now, my lovely volunteer,” Naruto and Konohamaru snickered. Kakashi could swear he heard Yamato snickering as well. “say the magic words, abracadabra…”

Kakashi said nothing, he just sat in front of the large gangster-looking man looking wildly unimpressed.

“This is why Iruka-sensei should have gone!” Naruto yelled, pushing Iruka, who was sitting on folded legs besides him, lost in his own thoughts. The light shove had caused him to lose his balance and fall onto his side, he was quick to catch himself before his head hit the dirt, and the second he regained his senses he sprung up and ran toward the shelter, quick as the Yellow Flash.

Kakashi was no longer interested in the trick, and he dashed after Iruka. He missed Akaboshi’s smirk as he caught up with the panicked teacher.

* * *

Iruka was ripping through his bag, he knew he had a few spare elastic bands in the front pocket with his toothbrush. He had never been so careless. While he was on his knees, he sent a silent prayer to his parents, apologizing for being so foolish. He was amongst allies though. Surely it would be OK. He quickly put his hair up into his signature tight pony, when he felt a presence behind him.

“Maa, Iruka-sensei, I never took you for a rabble raiser. I suppose Naruto had to get it from somewhere.” Iruka schooled his expression. He had been out of character and now everyone was going to be suspicious.

“Kakashi-sensei, please, there is nothing to worry about. I’m sorry for causing a scene, but…” but what? Iruka wasn’t sure how to make his excuses. He had none.

“Help me with dinner, sensei?” Kakashi held out his hand for Iruka, helping him to his feet.

“I’m no good in the kitchen, but I’ll help you in whatever way you need.”

“I figured we could head down to the village and pick up the food I ordered earlier.” Iruka laughed, and a knot loosened in his chest. He would be just fine.

“That’s my kind of cooking.” Iruka smiled at Kakashi, grateful for the excuse to walk without the others.

They ambled down the path towards the little sea-side town, the salty air was much clearer out of the forest they were hiding in. Iruka had never traveled to the sea before, so he was surprised by how much he enjoyed the smell.

He had closed his eyes, breathing deep.

“So, you had a minor incident back there. Care to share?” Kakashi wasn’t looking at him when Iruka’s eyes snapped open and he turned to face the jounin.

“I suppose I did.” Iruka wasn’t sure what to say. He knew his parents made him keep the secret from everyone, but surely Kakashi could be trusted. He stayed silent.

“You know, for someone so emotive, you can be really hard to read,” Kakashi gave Iruka his signature eye-arc smile. Iruka couldn’t help but smile back.

“Says the man who never lowers his mask.”

Kakashi laughed lightly, eyeing Iruka without turning his head. Luckily the man was on his good side.

“We are ninja, I suppose. Secrets make us more interesting, and it seems that you have some mystery to you, Iruka-sensei. I never would have guessed.” Kakashi wasn’t lying, he was very interested in the fact that Iruka seemed to be harboring some secret. What could it be though? All Kakashi knew was that he was very sure now that Iruka was the one Shiranami and Akaboshi were after.

Akaboshi’s eyes hadn’t left Iruka the entire time he was doing that stupid magic trick. Kakashi knew the man wasn’t bright enough to have some strange evasion plan. It all seemed so innocuous though. What could Iruka be hiding?

Kakashi didn’t know how serious the situation was, just that these men thought Iruka was important and some kind of key to power. Kakashi knew that Iruka was a good ninja, he was the best at non-lethal combat style, and honestly, he envied Iruka for that. He found a way to be useful and keep his soul. Kakashi had lost his farther back than most kids even saw their first kunai.

“I’m not mysterious,” Iruka gave Kakashi a challenging look, daring the copy-nin to contradict him.

“OK, you aren’t mysterious… enigmatic then. Does that feel better?” Kakashi bantered back.

“No one would describe me that way back home!” Iruka laughed at the thought. He wasn’t very close to many people, but his teammates and colleagues always called him an “open book” and he liked to believe that he was. He knew ninja were supposed to be unreadable and hard as steel, but he also knew that you couldn’t live life like that. People can’t survive closed off.

“It’s what makes you so intriguing now. I’m learning some interesting things about you on this trip.” Iruka’s eyebrow raised in question to Kakashi’s bold statement. “For example, you were very cautious in Tsuchigumo.”

“Well, I was… I mean, it was unfamiliar. Ninja should always be alert when in new territory.”

“I don’t recall you leaving Konoha or the immediate surroundings often on missions. Have you traveled much?”

Iruka looked over at Kakashi. Clearly the man wanted to know something specific. He had never said so much to Iruka before. He normally gave either cryptic pieces of advice, or curt responses. “No… I suppose I haven’t traveled much… Why are you so interested in my missions, Kakashi-san?”

“I’m not, and just Kakashi will do.” Kakashi looked over at Iruka with that infuriating closed-eye smile.

“Good, because I don’t owe you any explanation for my actions.” Iruka crossed his arms over his chest, petulant as a child. 

Kakashi laughed at Iruka’s actions, reminded so clearly of Naruto that he was surprised that the man beside him wasn’t blond. 

“I also learned that you look nice with your hair down.” Kakashi said it as coolly as humanly possible. Iruka’s face reddened nicely, but Kakashi couldn’t tell why. Embarrassment was the obvious answer, but perhaps from anger as well? Iruka sputtered, but then fell deadly silent.

“I didn’t expect your hair to be so thick and wavy. It looks straight with how tightly you pull it back. Don’t you get headaches?”

“I’ve never had it any other way.” Iruka responded curtly. Kakashi hummed, but didn’t push.

He wasn’t sure whether he should reveal anything to Iruka or not. He wasn’t sure what they wanted with Iruka. Would he benefit from knowing or would he just become more stressed? Iruka already had most of the burden of the chuunin exams on his shoulders.

Kakashi knew he wasn’t being very fair to Iruka though. He was an exemplary chuunin and Tsunade often trusted him with things well above his rank. Kakashi was sure they were alone too. He noticed a copse of pines just off the path.

“Iruka-sensei, I have something to discuss with you, privately.”

“Well we’re alon…” Iruka didn’t finish his thought as Kakashi yanked him into a hidden spot. The smell of evergreens invaded his senses. “What the hell, Kakashi?”

“I can’t give you every detail, Iruka-sensei, but I think you are in some kind of danger.”

Iruka didn’t respond, he just reddened.

“Do you have any idea what I’m talking about?” Kakashi was suspicious of Iruka suddenly. He looked like he was guilty of something.

“I… I don’t know... “ Iruka’s eyes were pleading with Kakashi to drop it, but he couldn’t, this was getting serious. What was Iruka hiding?

“As your superior I demand you answer me. Do you have a mark of some sort?” Iruka’s gasp was confirmation. “Tell me, I want to help you.”

Iruka felt tears prick at his eyes. He had really messed up. His parent’s had warned him and yet, here he was, disappointing them. He trusted Kakashi though. He was a good man. He had protected Naruto at every turn.

“I made a promise… I wouldn’t show anyone or tell anyone… I promised them… my parents.” Iruka looked up at Kakashi, willing his tears back, he would not cry in front of his superior. “I was being honest. I don’t know much. I never asked many questions before… before it was too late.”

Kakashi nodded, afraid to break Iruka’s new resolve with words.

“I have a scar.” Kakashi’s eyes looked at Iruka’s nose, eyes tracing the scar that bisected his face so obviously that Iruka laughed. “I mean, a different scar, though I don’t know much about this one either.” Iruka thoughtfully brought his hand to his face and traced the path Kakashi’s eye had just traveled. “I have another scar that is… well, I guess it’s too late now.”

Iruka’s hand shook as he brought his fingers to his hair tie. He had never purposefully let his hair down in front of another person, not since his parents at least. When his thick tresses fell free he immediately tilted his head to the side and his hair naturally parted to show the wavy line near Iruka’s crown slightly to the left.

When Iruka had fallen by the fire, his left side had been facing Akaboshi. He may have seen this. Kakashi hadn’t noticed, but he didn’t know what to look for and was mostly focused on Akaboshi. Kakashi’s heart raced, Iruka was in danger, and he had no clue from what.

“Why did your parents want you to keep this secret? Who else knows?” Kakashi couldn’t stop himself from asking. He needed answers. He needed to know how to protect Iruka.

“I just told you, I don’t know!” Iruka was upset. He always got a little irrationally upset when his parents came up. He tried to calm himself, breathing deeply in the scent of the pines. It didn’t help. This smell was pulling at something in his mind, some unhappiness he couldn’t recall. It was the same feeling he had in the village yesterday.

“Ok, OK, Iruka, I don’t want to alarm you.” Kakashi winced, that was poor wording and it snapped Iruka’s attention back to his one eye.

“Alarm me? Why are you asking, and how did YOU know I had a scar?” Iruka started poking Kakashi’s chest, tone sharp. He was comfortable being authoritative, he felt more himself. Kakashi laughed at the familiarity of Iruka’s stern expression, it was just like back home when he turned in a late mission scroll.

“This hardly seems like a funny situation.” Iruka huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You’re right. It is gravely serious,” Kakashi came back to reality. They were not in Konoha, in the Hokage tower, safe and sound. “I have already alerted Tsunade about my suspicions, but I will have to send another message before we get on the boat.

“I overheard Shiranami commanding Akaboshi to confirm a mark on someone in our party’s body. He said it would confirm if an experiment went correctly. I didn’t know who the target was before. Now I don’t know what they will do with this knowledge.”

“We need to confront Akaboshi!” Iruka looked a little wild.

“Iruka, what will that accomplish? You aren’t thinking straight.”

“I’m sorry, you’re right. It’s just I’ve been on edge since we entered that village. I can talk to Akaboshi, I’m sure he won’t harm me at least. Maybe I can get some information from him?”

“That’s a horrible idea, I’m not throwing you into the wolf’s den! What if the mark means they wish to kill you?” Kakashi did need reconnaissance, it wasn’t actually an awful idea, but the idea of Iruka putting himself in danger wasn’t sitting right with him.

Irritated, Iruka huffed, “well, if you’re so much of a genius, what is your plan?”

“Shiranami said he would come to Mist for the exams if they confirmed the mark, so he will be there. He plans some collaboration, and I’m nervous you will be in danger. Just… Keep a low profile, OK?”

Iruka actually laughed at Kakashi before responding, “I’ve been doing a bang up job of that so far! Naruto is here, that’s about as high profile as you can get. I’ll be OK. You can use me.”

Kakashi smiled, “oh, and how can I use you, Iruka?” It rolled so easily from his mouth that it shocked both of them.

“I... “ Iruka looked around himself, they were much too close, Iruka had leaned in to show the scar and he hadn’t properly backed off. Kakashi smelt like home and it had unconsciously comforted him. Kakashi was having his own issues with Iruka’s wide eyes staring up at him through his loose, soft curls.

They shifted away at the same time, Iruka immediately putting his hair back up. He was barely comfortable with it down in the privacy of his own bedroom, let alone in the middle of some unknown woods. He couldn’t believe he had left it down so long. Kakashi had some weird effect on him. He was a genjutsu master, maybe he had tricked him somehow.

Kakashi cleared his throat. “I’ll keep you safe, Iruka-sensei. Let’s get the food before Naruto goes insane.”

Iruka glanced at Kakashi as they made their way out of the pines and back on the path. Naruto was rambunctious at the best of times, hungry and full of pent up energy was not a state they should leave him in for long.

For some reason, instead of the paranoid, tight feeling he thought he would have in his chest after telling his secret, he felt light. He felt like he had unburdened himself of a great weight. Did that mean that Iruka really did trust Kakashi? There was no reason not to after all Naruto told him of his former jounin leader. 

Maybe things would turn out all right and he would finally be done with the constant anxiety and worry. He felt a little glimmer of hope. It was a dangerous emotion, but as much as he tried to smash it down, it just remained there, solid and warm in his chest.

* * *

While Kakashi and Iruka were away, Akaboshi snuck off, feigning a bathroom trip. He pulled out a scroll and infused his chakra. A small bird, red as blood appeared and flew off into the night sky. The future looked much brighter for him.

He walked back, smirk still plastered on his face as the key to that successful future came ambling back up the path, hands full of take-out bags. Akaboshi pulled and snapped the hair tie still left on his wrist over and over, like a tick. 

Yamato’s wood clone had kept an eye on the large man, and when Akaboshi rejoined the group and he dispersed, the real Yamato became nervous. He would have to warn Kakashi. Red meant confirmation, but confirmation of what?


	5. Whatever Information We Can Get

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW/TW: Mentions of the same child deaths again. Just mentions.  
> Short chapter. Just to get us moving along and to Mist finally.

The next morning the team greeted the Kazekage and his entourage on the large boat they were all to use to get to Mist.

Gaara greeted his friends and introduced the genin that his village was submitting for the exams. They were about the same age as Konohamaru’s crew and they all immediately started chatting. Gaara, Kankuro, Naruto, Sai, and Sakura, all went to the stern to catch up. Kakashi guessed that Temari was looking after the village while Gaara was out for the exams.

He wondered why Gaara came, but he was also extremely grateful. He was a powerful ally to have, and he knew that Gaara would help them with Iruka if need be. Once he learned the man was close to Naruto, he would be sure to protect him.

Kakashi was leaning on the starboard side by the bow of the ship, it would only take a few hours to get to Mist apparently, and he was never very comfortable on boats. Yamato was next to him, clearly stiff. When he had returned with Iruka, he had taken the wood release user aside and filled him in. Yamato also let him know about the red bird summons. They were both keeping a close eye on Iruka now.

Kakashi had made Sai draw a messenger hawk late that evening to carry a report to Tsunade about their findings. He hoped that she would know something that none of them were privy to. Sai hadn’t said anything, and he had no knowledge of why Kakashi was so desperate to send a message before morning when they boarded the ship, but Kakashi never felt the need to explain himself to his team before, and he wouldn’t start now.

Only himself, Yamato, Tsunade, and Iruka would know the full extent of what was happening. Kakashi left it to Iruka to inform Ebisu of whatever details he wanted. Kakashi felt it was best to keep the circle small. He didn’t even want Iruka to be in that circle, but it was his life in danger after all. He deserved to know.

Akaboshi and Akiko were discussing amongst themselves in the ship’s interior. Akaboshi looked more in his element mentoring his student, and Kakashi hadn’t felt the need to stay and watch the man. Clearly he was feeling good about himself for having orchestrated the reveal last night and was relaxing, not bothering to chit chat with the rest of them any longer. Kakashi was sure that he wasn’t instructed to do anything more than release the bird, so he could be ignored for the moment.

“What’s your plan?” Yamato asked after making sure everyone else seemed distracted. Iruka and Ebisu were discussing on the port side of the ship and Kakashi couldn’t help but notice Iruka’s eyes shift over to him every so often.

“Protect Iruka.” Kakashi answered Yamato’s question curtly. On serious matters, Kakashi often took on the lion’s share of responsibility while pushing others away. Yamato was grateful the man had included him in the situation at all.

Yamato rubbed his eyes in exasperation. “We don’t even know from what. And what does protecting Iruka look like? I don’t think he will appreciate being watched. Iruka can take care of himself.”

To prove his point, he had a wood clone materialize out of the wooden deck right behind Iruka, kunai brandished. Iruka turned immediately and slapped a barrier seal on the clone, it’s attack hitting the invisible wall with such force, the kunai was forced out of it’s hand and clinked to the planks. Iruka looked over at Yamato, one eyebrow raised in a questioning look.

Before he could disperse the clone, Iruka made another hand motion and the interior of the barrier burst into flames, engulfing the clone, but, somehow, not harming the ship's deck in the slightest. Iruka smirked at Yamato and Kakashi, not fully understanding why he was being tested, but feeling confident that he passed anyway.

“Never meant to imply Iruka couldn’t protect himself, Te-Yamato… We just don’t know what to expect when we get off this boat even.” Kakashi paused, looking consideringly at Iruka. He had never seen a barrier be used for both trapping and exploding before. “Hopefully we hear back from Tsunade with some more details. We can’t let them know we are onto them; in case we need to surprise them. This is a delicate situation. There’s so much we don’t know.”

Yamato understood their predicament, but Kakashi was supposed to be a genius. He had seen his captain come up with amazing plans while in the most extreme situations. Maybe Kakashi could only work his magic in the moment? Afterall, he was a rather silly man most of the time in the village.

“Are you purposefully keeping me out of the loop, sempai?” Yamato deadpanned.

Kakashi was rescued from answering by one of Tsunade’s hawks circling above them. Kakashi easily caught the tube that dropped from the hawk’s talons before it turned and made its way back to Konoha.

“That was very obvious.” Kakashi looked around him. Only Ebisu and Iruka noticed the bird as they were the only ones toward the front of the ship. They immediately walked toward Kakashi and Yamato at the bow.

“A message from the Hokage?” Ebisu asked excitedly. He wasn’t often out of the village on missions, since his specialty was tutoring, and it seemed he was eager to get into something more exciting than traveling with his genin.

“Come with me Iruka,” Kakashi gave Yamato a look that asked him for support as he strode past the two, grabbing Iruka’s elbow as he left the other jounin behind.

“How much did you tell Ebisu?” Kakashi asked as they walked away, clearly the others wouldn’t be able to hear them with the roar of the waves. They went to the same place Iruka was just standing and Yamato did well to keep Ebisu from following.

“I just said that I was the target. He did ask about the mark and I… I didn’t fill him in on that. He was asking a lot of details, like you did, that I couldn’t answer…” Iruka looked uncomfortable. “Well, what did Tsunade-sama say?” Iruka tried to grab the scroll from Kakashi’s hand, but the man pulled back quicker than Iruka could see.

“Ah, ah, ah, Iruka, I believe this scroll is addressed to me, the hawk dropped it into my hand after all.” Kakashi looked down at the seal on the scroll. He infused some of his chakra into it and nothing happened.

Iruka slapped Kakashi’s hand away from the scroll, pushing his own chakra into the seal. It opened immediately. He gave Kakashi a very pointed look until the man handed over the scroll.

“Maa, clearly the Hokage knows who’s really in charge.” Kakashi’s eye gave his signature arc that Iruka had come to know as a smile.

“Kakashi, you are the lead on this mission… I’m sure she has a perfectly reasonable explanation for keying this to my chakra…” Iruka rambled as he opened the scroll and started to read the first lines. He burst into laughter.

“I wasn’t aware Tsunade was writing a comedy.”

“I’m sorry, Kakashi,” Iruka said as he wiped the mirth from the corners of his eyes. “She just accurately predicted your actions.” He continued reading, leaving Kakashi to stand, anxiously trying to read over his shoulder.

“I… I don’t understand…” Iruka handed Kakashi the top scroll, a concerned look passing over his features as he looked Kakashi in the eye.

Kakashi immediately started reading the message as Iruka read the second page.

_Iruka,_

_I hope you scolded Kakashi for thinking this message was for him. I wanted you to read this first because it is about you and you should decide what he knows._

_When you were one year old, you were brought into the village by your parents. They were Konoha nin, but defected to Tsuchigumo. I won’t make assumptions on their defection, but they were betrayed by their new home and you were injured on their escape. I have attached a short report on what happened there. A combination of testimony from your parents and my medical notes from my examination of you._

_I recall being asked to look over you. I was in a bad place at the time and I don’t recall the exam, but my report was clear that you were absolutely fine and nothing was out of place. You were barely one year old._

_The village never truly found out how the experiments were done. The arrested men were interrogated and they gave over their research and intentions in DNA manipulation. The summary is that they were trying to implant jutsu of some sort into the young children. I couldn’t detect anything in you at the time, so I assumed they had just failed. Their research wasn’t very complete, so I dropped it. Again, I was not in a good place. Maybe if I were better, I would have asked more questions._

_I’m afraid we weren’t very thorough. Chalk it up to bad timing, but this village was just a small fry. We were in the third war and things were bleak. When you didn’t die after the other children had 10 years later, we assumed you were a failed experiment. The village didn’t have much time to look into any of it anyway, with the Kyuubi attack._

_All in all, we don’t know much about the experiment and we know even less about what Shiranami could be planning now. Stay vigilant. We can’t lose you Iruka. The mission desk would fall apart. It already is apart. I trust you and I trust Kakashi completely to protect you and get to the bottom of this. I will be sending reinforcements to Mist just in case._

_Tsunade_

“I’m sure you were already briefed on the history of Tsuchigumo, right?” Iruka looked incredibly sad as he finished his scroll. Kakashi knew what he was referring to. The scroll for his spy mission on the village had included details on the experiments.

That scroll did not include the detail that Iruka was one of those children.

“They all died?” Iruka looked at Kakashi, and Kakashi could see the heart break in his eyes. Iruka loved children and Kakashi was sure the sensitive man was envisioning his pre-genin class all wiped out in an instant.

“Not all of them apparently.” Kakashi eyed Iruka, but was ignored. He tried another tactic, “It was painless, or so the report said. In their sleep.”

That had also not been the comforting words that Iruka was looking for. Instead of waiting for Kakashi to say some magic words, he straightened his posture and steeled himself.

“Never again. I vow to stop them.”

“Iruka…” Kakashi looked shocked at the teacher. He was determined. It reminded him of Naruto vowing to protect the old man on that first high rank mission so long ago. The determination Naruto always exuded made more sense knowing how close the two of them were. “I’m not sure what you can do, but you have an ally. I will help you. They won’t win.”

That seemed to be the right thing to say. Iruka smiled warmly at Kakashi and Kakashi felt his cheeks heat up.

“Thank you.”


	6. Whose Your Ally?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Brief mentions of the deaths of kids...

Iruka was glaring at him. It was for the best though, and he had no regrets as to his decisions that day. 

“Iruka, I know you are upset about the room situation, but this is serious.”

“It’s more than that Kakashi.” Iruka crossed his arms and huffed. It was the end of their first day in Mist. He was exhausted.

The chuunin exam was going to start in two days. It gave the genin a couple days to rest and prepare. They were mostly hanging out and meeting the other genin freely in the village.

Iruka, on the other hand, was having a horrible time of it. The way the Mist shinobi were organizing the test was making his blood boil. They weren’t going to use the three-man team, which Iruka knew already, but most of the event was going to be tournament style battling. How would they assess the ability of the genin to work together if they were all fighting alone?

When he brought this up with the Mist council in charge, they just mocked him for caring so much about teamwork and his “will of fire”. Iruka had to hold back Sakura, who had joined him in the meeting as his assistant. She had started to roll up her sleeves, her give when she was about to use that super-human strength. Iruka noticed and placed a calming hand on her shoulder. It was hard for him, since he also wanted to beat these pompous jerks into the ground. He had to remind himself that he was the adult.

Iruka hated it in Mist.

That was during the day though, and night brought a whole other issue to the forefront. He had to share a room with the man who hadn’t left him alone for days.

When they had arrived yesterday evening and the greeting party had brought them to their lodging, Kakashi talked to the woman in the lobby for not one minute and it was all settled. She very unsuspiciously said that they were a room short and Kakashi had volunteered that the two mission leads would sacrifice privacy and room together.

None of the teens seemed suspicious or to care much at all. Iruka was trying to beg Naruto with his eyes to switch rooms. Naruto was powerful, wouldn’t he be a good “protector”? Naruto just patted him on the back and told him he was off to find the best ramen stand, then he would pick up Iruka so they could have a nice dinner the next day together.

Iruka was both flattered and also exasperated. Why didn’t Naruto understand his subtle eye language?!

“Was the ramen not up to snuff tonight?” Kakashi asked, interrupting his memories of the previous evening.

“No, it was not nearly good enough. Teuchi will be happy to know that his ramen is the best in both Fire AND Water.”

Kakashi smiled at Iruka. He had been following him around all day. He had watched Iruka’s forehead vein throb when the Mist nin had insulted him, he had watched from the shadows when Iruka mildly enjoyed his ramen and greatly enjoyed Naruto’s company, he had hinged into a Mist civilian and ask Iruka about his rank and origins, he had been severely reprimanded by Iruka who saw through the hinge and was tired of being tested and followed.

It was truly a delight to follow Iruka around. There was never a dull moment! He would have to remember that when they returned to Konoha.

“I’m going to bathe, _please_ , leave me alone.” Iruka slammed the attached bathroom door shut and Kakashi could hear the water running immediately.

“Fine, but I’ll be right out here if you need me!” Kakashi yelled through the door. Kakashi freely smiled when all he got in return was an exasperated sigh. 

Kakashi settled on his twin bed. The receptionist was good enough to set them up in a room with two beds, but she had winked and said they could easily be pushed together; he didn’t tell that to Iruka. He breathed in a deep content breath, getting comfy, and opened up Icha Icha Tactics.

It was not 10 minutes later when a heavy knock came at the door. Kakashi felt the chakra signature on the other side before he heard the knock and he was immediately on high alert. It was a ninja, and someone chuunin or above.

Kakashi opened the door after creating a shadow clone to lay in wait by the bathroom door. Could never be too careful and Iruka hadn’t gone in the bathroom with any gear. He would be a sitting duck. A naked sitting duck.

“Oh, Kakashi, I must have the wrong room, I apologize.” Kakashi wasn’t fooled, the disappointment and worry was present in Shiranami’s face the split second after he saw Kakashi at the door.

“I didn’t know you would be joining us for the exams. Is there a reason you made the journey separately?” Kakashi knew he would see the man at some point, but he wasn’t expecting such a simple play. To just show up to Iruka’s door was bold. And stupid.

“No, I just wanted to help Akaboshi judge our genin. Akiko has been out of the village for quite awhile.” It was a fair reason, but clearly a lie.

“Who are you looking for? I can point you in the _right_ direction.” Kakashi didn’t want to give away that he was suspicious. He was never amazing at small-talk, but he had to try and keep his paranoia in check.

“Akaboshi. I needed to… discuss something with him.” It sounded forced, but Kakashi had to make believe that he wasn’t on to this two-faced snake.

“Well, Akaboshi is one floor below, room 213, and Akiko is with the other nominees on the first floor.” He sounded surprisingly light and friendly. Yamato would be proud (and shocked).

“Thank you, Kakashi.”

Right as Kakashi was closing the door in Shiranami’s face, Iruka came out of the bathroom. “Kakashi, who-” The clone quickly shoved Iruka back into the bathroom and slammed the door. Real Kakashi mirrored the movement and both front and bathroom doors echoed with one another.

“Damn.” Both clone and master mimicked.

“What the hell?!” Iruka’s angry growl came from inside the bathroom, he was pounding on the door the clone was holding shut.

The clone gave Kakashi a “glad I’m not you” look and poofed out of existence. Kakashi scoffed, he really wasn’t very reliable was he?

* * *

Shiranani was worried. He had contacted his connection in Mist and hadn’t heard anything back from the shady woman. She had been one of the advisors to the old Mizukage, back when they were purging bloodline limits and nominating gennin by death matches.

He didn’t agree with any of those practices, but he and his brother had enough sense to know that there had to be someone levelheaded enough to still run a village under those conditions. So they searched out that person.

He had first met Rōzu when she was the Mist representative for the exams 20 years ago. She was spindly and had a sharp tongue and an even sharper mind. Kenichi immediately tagged her as a potential ally. Someone smart, unscrupulous, and power hungry. 

She had been the one to get them the blood samples for their experiments on the Mist bloodlines. Orochimaru had provided the other DNA. Shiranami was sure that she would be interested to know that one of Mist’s experimental kids was alive and well. Back then, she had been extremely interested in the experiments they were doing, but his brother was very tight lipped about what they were hoping to accomplish. All they told her was that they would soon be able to give a bloodline limit to any ninja through their test subjects. She didn’t ask for more details, but Shiranami was always worried they had given her too many details.

He didn’t think he had given away too much in his message. He merely implied that the experiment was successful and he wanted to discuss the possibilities with her in person.

He was worried she would figure something out and cut him out before they even had a chance to work together.

He was happy to see that Iruka was safe still, well happy to hear his voice at least. She hadn’t made any moves, so she probably hadn’t figured anything out. As long as she was ignorant, he was still needed. Of course, Shiranami was indispensable at every step in this scheme, but she may not fully understand that. There were still so many more tests to run. They didn’t know every detail on how Iruka’s power would work, they only knew the theory.

He wondered Idly if Orochimaru would also like to know about the results. After all, it was his collaboration and him providing that Uzumaki line DNA that synched the experiment. Wouldn’t he like to know about it working finally? He probably heard the news of the failures and the deaths and wrote them off entirely. He would love to rub it in his smug face that he was important. That he accomplished something great.

He decided to pay Akaboshi a visit next, now that he had the room number.

His knock was immediately answered by the large man.

“Your ears must have been burning.” Akaboshi said jovially.

“What do you mean?” Shiranami asked, pushing his way into the room. It was last minute, so he would have to stay with the man. He was grateful to see two beds.

“Well, some chick, Rōzu, was just here. She was asking about you.”

“What did you tell her? _exactly._ ” He tried to keep his calm.

“Eh… Well, she asked if you were around. I said you were on your way and I asked how she knew you. She said she was your contact! So that’s good right?” When Shiranami didn’t change his expression at all Akaboshi decided to keep talking, but was more wary.

“She asked if the experiment was here and I told her he was. I didn’t give her Iruka’s name or nothing though.” Akaboshi was getting nervous with the silence from his boss.

“What did you tell her?”

“Well, I don’t know much! So I told her he was here, but that you were on your way and would tell her whatever when you got here.” He scoffed. “She was a right bitch. She was saying that the Konoha representatives were annoying in the meetings. She said she wasn’t used to a chuunin talking back. Well, I just laughed to try and break the tension. She was so serious. I told her it was too bad she couldn’t kill him because I honestly thought she might. She really had a bad attitude.

“She laughed and said that Kakashi was following him around all day, so I knew she was talking about Iruka. They were rooming together and seemed really close on the trip. Anyway, she said she couldn’t kill Kakashi even if she wanted too. I said… I said he was one hell of a guard dog.”

Shiranami was conflicted. Kakashi was guarding Iruka, so they had to be on to them. He was also pissed because he knew Rōzu was smart enough to put two and two together. She would figure out Iruka was the experiment if she didn’t already. But he was also grateful Kakashi was protecting Iruka from the woman. If she got to him first and tried to figure out the experiment, she could do some real damage.

‘What to do?’ Shiranami was deep in thought. He needed to formulate some kind of plan. He didn’t want Iruka falling into Rōzu’s hands alone. He wanted to work with the village. Perhaps he shouldn’t have trusted the woman.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Shiranami gestured to Akaboshi to answer it. He waited just out of sight on the other side of the door.

“Hello ‘Boshi! I heard that as soon as I left, your boss finally showed up.” Rōzu said, pushing easily past the lug and into the room. There was no point in hiding. Shiranami wanted to talk with the woman, so why not now?

“Hello Rōzu.”

“My, my, have you grown?” She eyed him up and down. He resisted retorting about how much she had aged. She was even thinner now than before, which seemed impossible, and looked as sharp as ever, both physically and in her demeanor.

“I heard you were asking for me. I’m glad you came back. I’m sorry I missed you, but now we can discuss matters.”

“Not here of course.” Rōzu said coolly.

Shiranami looked around, confused. There was a low probability they bugged every room… wasn’t there? Then again, she was the one on the council, so perhaps it was best to go with her.

“Akaboshi, I will contact you if I need you. For now, act normal. Continue with the original plan of just being Akiko’s mentor. Don’t let on where I went if someone asks before I get back to you. I’ll send word.”

That was their code. _I’ll send word_ meant that he didn’t trust the person he was leaving with and to get help if word was not sent within a few hours. They hadn’t discussed who to get help from here in Mist, but he would have to trust Akaboshi. That was a dangerous thing to do because the man was an idiot.

“Right, boss.”

* * *

Something was wrong with Akaboshi. He was fidgety. Anyone with eyes could see that he was nervous. Iruka resisted an eye-roll. Even he could hide his emotions better. However, his nervousness was accompanied by him following Iruka around the breakfast area, which the scarred man did very much not appreciate.

He had Kakashi following him like a duckling already. He didn’t want another. And why was he being followed? Where was Shiranami? Why did Akaboshi look like a stray, abused puppy? Iruka did not want to feel sympathy toward the man. Not at all. But his face was really sad.

“So, Akaboshi-sensei, where’s Shiranami-san?” Iruka decided that was a safe topic. He knew the man arrived since Kakashi so kindly informed him (after rudely shoving him into the bathroom) last night.

Akaboshi froze, eggs inches from his mouth, falling off the fork. “N… n… nothing… nothing is wrong.”

Kakashi and Iruka locked eyes. “Why would we think there was something wrong?” Iruka asked slowly. “Is something wrong?”

Akaboshi gave a contemplative look, eyes traveling between Kakashi and Iruka, back and forth, for an uncomfortable amount of time.

Before he responded, if he ever would, the genin arrived in the breakfast room.

“Today’s the day, believe it!” Naruto yelled as he slammed his plate down next to Iruka and plopped down on the wooden bench between him and Kakashi.

Sai was much calmer as he put his plate on the table next to Akaboshi, directly across from Naruto. Sakura joined as well, pace sedated, as she sat next to Sai. 

“Remember to use your head more often this time, idiot, or you won’t pass again. Iruka-sensei is judging.” Sakura chastised her teammate. “He has failed you once before and I’m sure he wouldn’t hesitate again.”

Naruto’s head hung at the memory of his genin exam. He really messed that one up, but he had made up for it! He wouldn’t be failing this time around.

“Boss will definitely make chuunin this time! He has traveled with a sannin after all. That has to count for something.” Konohamaru almost sounded like he was trying to convince himself, not Sakura.

Sakura huffed and clicked her tongue, “It takes more than just summoning a giant toad to make chuunin, right Iruka-sensei?”

Iruka had been making concerned eyes at Kakashi over Naruto’s head while his old students were bickering so all he responded with was, “Yeah, sure.” causing Naruto to hang his head.

“Aw, man, I can do more than that! I can make really impressive rasengan now!” Naruto pouted.

“It’s more than brute strength! You know Shikamaru was the only one to pass the last time you took the exam and he lost his battle!” Sakura waved her arms around her wildly, but she also noticed Iruka and Kakashi eyeing one another and Akaboshi.

“Is there something wrong Akaboshi-sensei?” Sakura asked.

The other youngsters all snapped to Akaboshi. He panicked and greatly overcompensated with a huge smile, waving his hands in front of his face dismissively. “I’m fine! Really, no worries. I’m sure Akiko will do stupendously and… That’s all. I’m great. In fact, I think I’ll go on a jog! That’s how great I feel. So great…”

The group all eyed the bulky man as he nearly tipped the table over in his rush to leave the dining area. Iruka used his famous eye-communication technique to tell Kakashi to interrogate him and Kakashi eyed back that Iruka must not leave the table while he was away.

It was fine. Yamato was probably here somewhere watching and all the brats were there. No one would try anything. Gaara took Kakashi’s newly occupied seat next to Naruto.

Kakashi caught up with Akaboshi just outside the inn’s main entrance. He was smoking and his hand was shaking terribly. 

He cursed as he watched the grey haired man approach.

“I don’t want to talk to you, Kakashi.” The hulking man turned to face the opposite direction. It was so damn childish Kakashi actually laughed.

“I’m not about to give you much choice.” Akaboshi had the presence of mind to look nervous. Then he sighed, Kakashi didn’t think he had ever defeated an enemy so easily before. Something must be terribly wrong.

“I… Shiranami is going to kill me, but what choice do I have? Just make sure to tell him I put up more of a fight? OK? I’m in over my head here!” Akaboshi was not making much sense to Kakashi, but he didn’t want to interrupt either.

“Shiranami went missing last night.”

Kakashi looked suspicious. “He just arrived, how do you know he didn’t just have an uproariously good time all night long somewhere? It’s barely 7AM. He could be scraping himself off a nightclub floor as we speak.”

The deadpan expression Akaboshi gave Kakashi was almost humorous. Almost.

“We had a code. He went… I guess I gotta be honest now… He went with our contact in Mist. A woman named Rōzu. Bitch. He gave the code that he would contact me and if he didn’t, there was trouble. He didn’t. So I am supposed to get help, but we’re in Mist, our contact here is the only help I could…” Akaboshi looked guiltily at Kakashi. He had just given away that he didn’t think of Kakashi as help. He just gave away that they weren’t allies.

Kakashi didn’t look surprised in the least. “You know something.” Akaboshi finally said something intelligent.

“Tell me everything and I’ll see how much I really knew.”

Akaboshi hung his head. He needed an ally and right now, Leaf seemed like a better one than Mist had been. At least he knew they wouldn’t outright kill him or his boss. Hopefully. His dreams of unlimited power were all but forgotten as he steeled himself for a confession.

“This is all I know…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm not really getting into the experiment mechanics much haha. But we have hints so far that there were 2 DNA lines infused into the children through their head while the skulls were still soft. In Iruka, there was a combination of an Uzumaki line and some line from Mist. Author reserves rights to not give all the dets. YET. hahahaha.


	7. Schemes and Reveals

Nothing Akaboshi told him was any surprise. The man was pretty much just as ignorant as Kakashi’s team. Shiranami really kept his cards close to the cuff. 

Kakashi walked back into the mess hall and immediately felt his heart rate skyrocket. Where was Iruka?

“Naruto, where did Iruka go?” Kakashi asked, hoping he sounded his regular self, but Sakura stiffened at his tone.

“Eh?” Naruto looked around him, as if just noticing his most precious person wasn’t sitting right next to him suddenly.

“Idiot!” Sakura yelled, then turned her attention back to her jounin-sensei. “Akiko asked him for some help with some prep things, since Akaboshi was out. I think he went to her room or something… She was with that guy.”

Sai chimed in, “Shiranami. He’s the son of the chief, remember ugly?” He was still getting his footing on the whole friendship thing, and Sakura seethed at the insult.

“Well anyway, Akiko didn’t look right. I was going to ask if she needed any medical attention, but she claimed it was nerves. I get that, so I left her. I’m sure Iruka-sensei can handle it.” Sakura nodded confident in Iruka in a way Kakashi did not feel.

Why would Iruka go without backup? What was he thinking!? Kakashi clearly made a command with his eyes for Iruka to stay. And Shiranami was there too! Why didn’t he listen? He was so stubborn.

Kakashi immediately summoned Pakkun who appeared ready to rumble for once, clearly feeling the intensity of his summoner.

“Find Iruka.” Kakashi commanded, and the dog didn’t hesitate.

“Yes, boss.”

“What’s going on Kaka-sensei?!” Naruto asked, he was clearly ready for a rumble too. “Is something wrong with Iruka-sensei?”

“I don’t know Naruto, just stay here. Stay alert, OK?” Kakashi trusted his team, he really did, but they weren’t involved. He hoped Yamato was awake and had an eye on Iruka. He rushed after Pakkun and knew that Naruto was right behind him.

Why was no one listening to him today?

* * *

“You said you would release her!” Iruka yelled as the councilwoman shoved a frightened Akiko into a separate cell, across from his own.

“And I will. She will be free as soon as I get your full cooperation. Apparently you can’t be chakra depleted or in suppressing cuffs.” The woman glared at Shiranami, as if he were responsible for this annoyance. “Anyway, I need to alert my associates of your capture. Don’t do anything stupid. This cell is linked with exploding tags in the girl’s cell, so if you try to escape, she’ll go kaboom.”

The women left them and Iruka’s eyes searched out the tags linking their cell to Akiko’s. Maybe he could disable them safely. But could he risk that? He turned to face the other occupant of his cell, wish it were an ally.

Shiranami looked conflicted. He kept whispering to himself. It was putting Iruka on edge. He decided to breach the tense atmosphere. “Tell me everything,” Iruka demanded of Shiranami.

“You were so easily manipulated. It’s pathetic.”

Iruka tried not to let the words affect him, but it was difficult. “How could you use your own genin as a pawn like that!?”

Iruka knew he had a soft spot for the children. Akiko wasn’t one of the Leaf’s but she was there at the academy. He remembered her. Her dark smooth skin and bright green eyes were like a magnet to Iruka. He didn’t know why, but he was immediately drawn to her. She was kind and lonely.

He could relate.

He often ate lunch with her when the other students were with their cliques. She was grateful to him, but he didn’t mind her company one bit. He helped her study during lunch and she graduated after only one year, top of her class.

She bloomed more with her genin team. He didn’t see her much after that. But that was common for his students. He didn’t blame her. He didn’t blame any of them for moving on, as they should.

Now she was in trouble. He will never forget the look in her eyes when she approached the breakfast table. He knew immediately she was in trouble and that Shiranami was up to something. He couldn’t let any harm come to one of the genin. He went along with the ruse and none of the teens and preteens at the table were the wiser.

“You don’t understand, Iruka.” Shiranami began.

Iruka was quick to cut him off there, “Oh don’t patronize me you bastard! You have some plan to use me to give yourself more power. I know that much, and honestly, it’s enough to know I will never forgive you. You care nothing for the safety of children. Innocent children. You only care about yourself and how you want to be in this world. Well, I’ll tell you what you are, you’re trash. A very wise ninja once told me a very wise phrase. ‘Those that abandon their mission are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash.’ You did worse than abandon comrades in arms, you used those you should have been protecting! You are even lower than the lowest trash.”

Iruka breathed deep after his rant, not realizing he had said it all in one breath. Akiko was crying, it broke Iruka’s heart all over again to hear her trying to stifle her tears. She was trying to be strong. He would try and be a good example to her. They were ninja and they had a duty to one another. He would get them out of this somehow.

“Sensei…” Shiranami was staring at him, eyes wide with an expression Iruka couldn’t place. He cleared his throat suddenly and the moment was broken. “You… I won’t try and justify my actions. My past is unchangeable; as all of ours is. You were the only successful experiment. I wish I could have continued and done something to help those children. I know you won’t believe that, but I do regret their deaths.”

Iruka did believe it. He was in the presence of a monster, no doubt, but he was still a man. Even the most hardened villains had limits. He knew it was true, but it didn’t mean he would forgive any of them.

“The goal was to create a ninja that could imbue other ninja with unique chakra. We weren’t sure if it would work the way we envisioned, but based on the theory, you can give other ninja the ability to use nature transformations that were thought only to be possible as kekkei genkai.”

“Bloodline limits? From me? I’ve never…” Iruka looked at the man confused and frightened. If he was able to do this, which he highly doubted, then he was going to help their enemies become stronger.

“It needs to be released, but that only requires a small deposit of my chakra signature into your scar.” Shiranami couldn’t look into Iruka’s eyes anymore. They were so expressive. It was causing the man to think about how others were affected by his action for the first time. If he were to look in a mirror after this, would he see his old self or would he see the monster that Iruka so clearly saw?

“I won’t do it.” Shiranami said, trying to reassure his former experimentation subject.

“You will.” Iruka said, looking down with a dark aura.

“No I mean it. I may just be a power hungry megalomaniac, but I know I have been betrayed. I won’t co-operate” Contacting Rōzu had been a mistake, but, he was starting to understand, his whole life had been full of them. 

“You will do whatever they ask to protect your fellow villager.” Iruka’s eyes flickered over to Akiko, alone in her cage, straining to hear their whispered conversation. She was still crying and her hiccups were just audible.

Shiranami was shocked. He was a monster to Iruka. He had let children die and injected experimental serums into the soft skulls of babies. How could he make the assumption that he wouldn’t allow Akiko to be tortured or maimed rather than release the jutsu?

But he could feel it. He could feel the pull on his heart. He recalled the devastation the rest of the village had when the pre-genin died. And he had felt a ping of something then, but he brushed it off. It was the village’s fault for not allowing him to continue his work and maybe save the children and get a new fighting force. It was never his fault.

He knew that something was different now. Maybe losing his brother had finally given him empathy. Maybe it was the wisdom that came with old age. Maybe he was just tired of it all. Maybe it was the conviction in Iruka’s eyes. But he knew he wouldn’t abandon Akiko to torment and death. He knew that this was his problem, and he had responsibilities. He had to accept his role in all this.

He simply nodded at Iruka’s assertion. Iruka nodded back. They were in agreement. They would not let harm come to the girl. They would try and escape, and they could trust the other wanted that goal as well.

It was easy for Shiranami to trust Iruka in that way. The man exuded reliability, but how was Iruka putting any faith in him? He was lower than the lowest garbage. He could only assume it was because he had no other choice.

It didn’t comfort Shiranami, but it made sense. Maybe, if they survived all this, he could try and redeem himself and his late brother’s names. Maybe.

The door swung open and Rōzu strode in, followed closely by two strange men in black robes with red clouds leading Akaboshi in. 

“Akiko! Boss?!” Akaboshi yelled only to be smacked hard in the back of the head by the man with long blond hair tied in a large ponytail.

“Shuddup mongrel.” The man commanded. He seemed young. Too young to be commanding anyone. Shiranami felt his heart pound as his comrade was abused. Another sin to add to his growing tally.

Rōzu interrupted the scene, “You said that you didn’t know exactly how the effect would go, so we figured this lug would be the perfect test subject. He only has one nature, right?”

Shiranami nodded. He would be the perfect test subject. Akaboshi only had lightning release and so they would figure out if the effect was possible and if so, how the combination would form. It should be a jutsu with his lightning and water, if the DNA from Mist was to be trusted. In the back of his head, he added that Akaboshi was also an expendable henchman… Shiranami winced at that thought. He was trash.

Akiko cried and reached her arm through the bars, “Uncle!”

“Shut up you imbecile.” Rōzu chastised.

“Now, Shiranami, you have to activate the effect right? Will you cooperate or will I have to start breaking bones? I don’t care whose, maybe everyone present, starting here.” At that she moved quickly, too quickly, and soon had Akiko’s arm in her hand, squeezing so hard the girl couldn’t resist grunting in pain.

“I’ll do it, just stop immediately.” Shiranami said coolly. “you could have had an ally with me, Rōzu. I don’t know why it had to come to this.” She released the girl immediately

“I don’t need weak slime like you working with me. You are not on my level.” was her only response before she gestured for Shiranami to proceed.

Iruka’s mouth was a thin, hard line, so different from the warmth he normally radiated from those lips. He took his hair out of the elastic band and let it fall, naturally parting around the deep scar. Shiranami tried not to wince at the thing. It looked painful, though he knew the subjects hadn’t felt a thing.

He sent a silent apology to all the children as he infused a small amount of chakra into the rough wavy line.

Iruka didn’t make any indication that anything had changed. He didn’t feel any differently. He looked at his hands, but they were still his own. He touched his face, and nothing seemed out of order. He looked at Shiranami, who was observing his reaction like a good scientist.

“Well? He doesn’t seem any different.” Rōzu sneered.

“I did what we keyed. I double checked those notes before coming here, so I’m sure.” Shiranami said, not sure if he wished he were lying. He had told her too much in their meeting last night, while she was still playing at being interesting in a partnership. He had fallen for it hook-line-sinker. He should have known better. Turns out, he was an awful villain after all.

“Fine, we can test the theory anyway.” Rōzu said, pulling Akaboshi out of the blond man’s grip. “Bite him.” she commanded the henchman.

He looked confusedly at the woman.

“I said, bite Iruka’s arm, or I will break every bone in your precious niece’s body.” The blond man nodded at Rōzu’s threat, clearly impressed with the woman.

“Wow, she’s more of a bossypants than you are Sasori! I think I will like this partnership. Hopefully we can get Gaara quickly, and the kyuubi one too. Wouldn’t that piss Itachi off! Serves him right. He never appreciated my art.”

“No one does.” Sasori responded calmly, looking neither impressed nor fully human. Iruka wondered what Sasori was.

“Don’t make any funny moves,” Rōzu gave Shiranami and Iruka very pointed looks as she opened the cage and threw Akaboshi in before quickly locking them all in together.

Iruka looked into Akaboshi’s eyes. He grabbed Iruka’s arm and slowly brought it up to his mouth. There was something off about the way he was looking at Iruka that caused his breath to hitch slightly. Suddenly there was a familiar black eye and sharingan winking at him before teeth bit into his skin.

He tried not to blush or give any indication that there was something off about ‘Akaboshi’, the feeling of teeth digging into his arm was a good enough distraction. It didn’t hurt so to speak, but it felt very uncomfortable, like a tickle but many times over. He felt weaker and he would have collapsed if Akaboshi hadn’t released him then and held onto his arm as support.

“Well?” Rōzu asked.

‘Akaboshi’ looked shocked, like he hadn’t expected to actually do any harm to Iruka, which he probably hadn’t. He was staring at Iruka’s forearm, where his teeth mark was currently already scared over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOOOOK soooo I am fully expecting lots of people to totally be out of this at this point haha. I wanted to make this like... Naruto... you know, how Naruto is able to talk to the hardened villain and get them to change their ways? That was my goal here... Not sure how successful it went haha.  
> We are about to see what this ability can do! Also we are now aware that the experiment was to get a nin who had the biting ability like Karin (DNA was from her mom in my head. Orochimaru found her and made some deal to safely hide her away for some of her DNA...) But instead of healing, it changes the chakra of the biter, giving them the ability to combine nature elements which is normally only something bloodline limits allow.  
> I really was fascinated by Karin's biting-healing thing and thought, what if it wasn't healing? Anyway, this is not crazy talk? hahaha... well it is crazy, but hopefully it's at least entertaining crazy!


	8. Battle for the Sensei

‘What is this?’ Kakashi thought. Iruka wasn’t bleeding, and he felt… stronger. His chakra was swirling through his channels and it felt different somehow, stronger and almost burning.

It was time for his distraction. “I feel better than ever.” Kakashi responded to Rōzu, breaking his hinge and at the same time, flooding the room outside the two cells with grey clouds full of all the worst elements of nature. Lightening fizzled in the air, ice particles sharp as senbon swirled in the vortex, burning mist sizzled in patches. It was truly chaos.

Only moments after the storm erupted, the wall on the other side of Akiko’s cage burst open and Sakura and Sai led the genin out of her prison into the yard on the other side of the broken wall.

With Akiko out of the way Iruka regained his senses, adrenaline from the start of a battle pulsing. He rushed to the seals locking the cage and quickly went about deactivating them. He tried to ignore the tingle in his forearm and the change that was clear in Kakashi’s chakra. What had that bite done to Kakashi?

Iruka grabbed a deactivated seal and burst out the door, Kakashi had to control the storm so it didn’t hurt the gutsy chuunin. He, quicker than Kakashi thought possible, pricked his finger and manipulated the seal with his own blood.

“Iruka, stay back!” Kakashi yelled, unwilling to break the jutsu he was creating to make a grab for the man.

Before she could block it, Iruka had slammed the newly activated barrier seal on the kunoichi. She turned to Iruka and aimed a katon at him. Unfortunately for her, Iruka had activated the seal just in time and the fireball hit the inside of her new cage instead. She barely was able to stop it before it burned her instead.

“What the hell is going on? I can’t see anything. How can I create art in these conditions?” The blond yelled.

The ground erupted under their feet and the two Akatsuki members were trapped in a wooden structure. Iruka was pushed back toward Akiko’s cell at the same time by a large root.

Kakashi was unyielding, even with all his enemies trapped, he kept up the storm to keep them confused and blinded, constantly on the defense from burns and spikes and jolts of electricity.

Naruto was by the opening in the wall that Akiko had disappeared through earlier. He grabbed Iruka by the arm and pulled him out of the building.

Iruka had to shield his eyes from the sudden assault by the sun. Gai and the rest of Team 9 leapt past the two and the young ones didn’t hesitate before jumping into the room at the same time a large explosion went off within.

“Greetings Iruka-sensei! Please, follow Naruto to safety.” Gai said, flashing shining teeth and a thumbs up at the good sensei, just at the border of the dark entrance.

“Gai-sensei! There is a man in there, he was in the cell with Kakashi, please don’t hurt him. We need him alive.” Iruka pleaded. He knew Gai wouldn’t intentionally hurt anyone who wasn’t an enemy, but Kakashi may try and hold Shiranami accountable or at least not protect him from harm if the others got loose.

Gai nodded before fully disappearing into the raging storm within the prison.

“We need to go Iruka-sensei! I was given the task of protecting you, and I will NOT fail.” Naruto had a glint in his eyes and Iruka knew there was no sense in arguing. There were plenty of Leaf-nin in there, he was sure everyone would be safe.

The ground trembled below their feet, causing both Naruto and Iruka to stumble slightly. They had barely gotten 100 feet from the fighting when the whole building exploded. The Akatsuki were on a large, white bird-like creature, dropping bombs over the ninja below. He could barely make out Kakashi, grey hair shining in the sun, as he created a huge icicle pulsing with electricity and stabbed it right through the bird, causing the men to fall painfully back to the earth. 

Kakashi and Yamato both trapped the men in wood cages. Iruka’s eyes widened as he noticed Kakashi perform the rare kekkei genkai. Suddenly, his upper arm and wrist were grasped in a tight grip, painfully tight, and teeth were sinking into his forearm, just inches from where Kakashi had bitten.

He screamed and kicked the woman off of him. It was Rōzu. How had she escaped his barrier? He didn’t have time to contemplate, he was away from his allies and without any of his weapons. Then he remembered, Naruto brandished a kunai and stood in between Iruka and the woman.

“What did you just do that for?!” Naruto yelled. The woman just started to laugh uncontrollably.

“This feeling. The power.” She inhaled deeply and made a hand sign. This was not good.

Iruka moved on instinct, he grabbed Naruto and used the body replacement jutsu to move them into the woods far to the left. The woman released a sludge on the poor logs, and the wood dissolved into a gooey puddle where the Leaf-nin had just been standing.

“Come out! No harm will come to your precious students, Iruka! I will never stop hunting them or you! Come out now to avoid that.” She sounded deranged, completely dissociated from anything that must have once made her human.

A beautiful woman with long auburn hair appeared with Gaara after Rōzu screamed. It was the Mizukage. Iruka had not gotten to meet her, but he recognized her from the portrait in the council room.

“Ah! Mei-chan! You are too late. I am even more powerful than you. I am the true Mizukage and I will bring this village back to its peak of power!”

The woman didn’t speak a word, she just inhaled and Rōzu did as well, only a second behind. Their lava met one another between them and they were in a stalemate. Gaara was not silently observing though, he had brought his sand, slowly and quietly, up Rōzu’s body while she was distracted by the Mizukage. Suddenly he snapped the sand tight around her whole body until only her head was free. With her hands covered, the lava jutsu stopped.

Iruka released Naruto, he hadn’t realized he was gripping the boy so tightly before.

“Are you OK?” Naruto asked, finally able to pull his attention away from the fighting.

“I’m fine. Thank you Naruto. You were ready to defend me, and I am so proud of you.” Iruka said. He was feeling slightly more wobbly after this bite, but he wouldn’t show that in front of two kage.

Naruto nodded, preening at the praise, before he turned back to the scene, “Gaara! Great work!” He leapt from their hiding place and ran to join his friend who was currently holding the sand prison around the cursing woman.

Iruka followed at a more sedated pace.

“Thank you, Mizukage, Kazekage.” He bowed to each.

“There you are, Iruka, I won’t let you…” Rōzu’s speech was cut off as Gaara finally moved his sand tomb over her head and sealed the body, trapping it in a suspended state until they knew what to do with the councilwoman.

Naruto clamped Gaara hard on the back when he finished his seal, or he meant to, but the sand protection got in the way and all Naruto hit was the grains. He didn’t seem in the least disturbed or surprised and just continued to smile at his friend.

“Hey!” Iruka, Naruto, Gaara, and Mei all turned to notice the rest of the Leaf nin all running up to them looking a little worse for wear, but uninjured.

Once Kakashi made it to Iruka’s side, he ranked both eyes over his form, clearly looking for any sign of injury. Upon seeing none, his left eyelid closed slowly and he breathed out a pent up breath. “Thanks for looking after Naruto.”

Iruka laughed, “It’s my job isn’t it?” How had Kakashi known that Iruka had saved Naruto? Naruto somehow looked both sheepish and upset by the exchange.

“I rescued him first!” Naruto’s conviction only made Iruka laugh harder. The knot in his heart that had begun when he stepped foot in Tsuchigumo finally untangled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So kakashi is really special. Not only has he copied so many kekkei genkai from enelmies and allies alike, but he has like... all the nature elements.. like he can do them all! it's crazy... so in my mind, the power Iruka gives is for ninja to combine their nature elements in anyway they can as long as one of the elements needed is water (that is the Mist DNA contribution). Most would have some hesitation probably need some time to figure it out and preference would be to their main element. Kakashi starts with combining lightning with water for storm, but he's a genius right? add in some ice and steam because he's loaded with the elements hahaha. Then he can also do the wood release because he has earth as his second element and is besties with Yamato and so knows the hand signs and the everything from sharingan...  
> Rozu has always been jealous of Mei is my intention here. She thought she would be mizukage, but this young jerk took it from her. So she copies Mei's technique since Rozu has the elements needed and has been watching Mei.  
> Now, those with only one element would then have the water element ability to mix with whatever they have... this isn't clear in the story, and may never be known, but I thought the audience should know my little background to the experiment. I'm not sure what would happen to a nin with only water... water + MORE water?? haha. that would be something Shiranami may have tested if he were given the chance to be the scientist he wanted to be. Anyway hope this made sense and was enjoyable!!!


	9. Not All Loose Ends Get Tied

Tsunade took a large shot of sake. Today was a nightmare of meeting after meeting. The team had just returned to Konoha and her first official business was with each member to debrief on what exactly the hell had happened.

She next had to meet with the council to discuss the matter, those old hags all had such stupid opinions on how the village should handle it all that she had nearly pulled out her hair.

Then she had to meet with the Mizukage and Kazekage to determine the next steps since the chuunin exam was interrupted. The Mizukage agreed to not have it in Mist again until they were done interrogating all the councilmembers for any more unstable agents. Tsunade had her own opinions and set up a separate meeting with Gaara regarding a redo in Sand that could draw out the Akatsuki again.

She had just returned from her fourth meeting with Ibiki and the captured traitors, Shiranami and Akaboshi. They were incredibly cooperative and from Iruka and Kakashi’s testimony, she was going to be fairly lenient on the two and allow their home village to dool out the punishment they saw fit.

She had gotten a fair bit of information from Shiranami freely. The man had even given the suggestion that Ibiki tattoo their tongues so that they could never disclose what they knew about the experiments. He said he didn’t want anyone to repeat it ever again. Ibiki was all too compliant as he applied the jutsu.

Shiranami actually visibly relaxed after the application. Ibiki had never known another to feel that way after the seal was applied to the back of their tongue. They were then released to an ANBU escort, who would make sure they got back to their village and deposited to the correct authorities. 

She was in her, hopefully, last meeting of the day. Finally. She felt comfortable taking shots when it was at her own desk with just the brat and the teacher. She had kept Shizune out of the loop on this matter, so she was also free from the woman pestering her to drink less.

“So, you have caused quite the headache Iruka.” Tsunade finally addressed the man and he was more fidgety than normal in her presence. Generally Iruka was not fearful of authority, in fact, he was normally very comfortable in her office, voicing his opinions. So having the sensei stand before her wringing his hands was making her uncomfortable.

He bowed at her words, an apology flying from his mouth before he snapped back up to attention.

“What’s his problem?” Tsunade asked Kakashi, ignoring the mess of a man to Kakashi’s right.

“I think he’s worried about what you will decide to do with him, your Lordship.” Kakashi said casually. She clicked her tongue at Kakashi’s annoying title-giving. Petulant brat.

“To do with him? Well, the man has put me in a pickle.” Iruka looked ill as she spoke. She should probably not play with her subordinates like this, but his reactions were amusing. “On the one hand, you can give all our ninja incredible powers.” Kakashi’s eye narrowed at this, he knew the power he had gotten was incredible, but at what cost? “However, you are also completely indispensable as a sensei at the academy and, more importantly, running the missions desk. I’m sure you noticed how much of a mess it has been in your absence.”

“I… Just what are you trying to say, Hokage-sama?” Iruka choked out, hope just barely surfacing in his eyes.

“Only a very select few know about your ‘gift’ and it will be kept that way. I barely even gave the council members an idea of what happened, just the bare bones.” She grumbled about them all being untrustworthy old coots.

In reality she hadn’t told them anything about the experiment. She told them about the betrayals of the Tsuchigumo members and the collaboration of the Mist councilmember with the Akatsuki. She had implied that Iruka was used by the Mist woman as a way to draw out Naruto and Gaara, since the council knew the Akatsuki were after the Jinchūriki.

It was a stroke of brilliance if she did say so herself, because it meant keeping Iruka safe in the village to prevent any other attempts at capture, but didn’t reveal his new powers. She wasn’t about to risk sending Iruka out into the world when a simple bite by an enemy could lead to a huge problem. She was very proud of her solution, it kept Danzō and his loyal power-hungry followers in the dark, where they belonged.

“Shiranami and Akaboshi have had the silencing tattoo and so they will not be able to tell a soul about your power. The Kage don’t know about the power, not really. The Mizukage knows Rōzu somehow gained power, but I did not divulge any details to her, and Rōzu has been… we’ll say, less than cooperative or sane. She’s been sentenced to death for attacking Mei, so soon, she won’t have anything to say at all.

“Now, Akiko was more difficult. She knows more than any of the other ninja on the team since she was in prison with you. But in the end she agreed to getting the tattoo without any fuss. Seems she has fond memories of you, Iruka-sensei, and was happy to oblige if it meant helping to keep you safe.”

Iruka smiled at the memories of the lonely little girl. He was lucky to have so many wonderful students and he wouldn't forget any of them, but he would hold a special place for her.

“That means the only people who could say anything and know everything are you, me, and Iruka?” Kakashi said. Yamato and Ebisu weren’t in the loop at the very end, so they didn’t know what the experiment did to Iruka or how it worked and Kakashi certainly wasn’t telling.

“Hokage-sama? I… I mean to say… Will I…” Iruka was twiddling his thumbs and Kakashi wanted to grab those hands and calm him down. What could be so troubling to the sensei still? Everything was fairly well tied up.

“Out with it!” Tsunade yelled, pouring another generous shot.

“Will I be allowed back to teach?!” Iruka looked down, clearly trying to hide just how important this question was to him. 

“Of course, Iruka- _ sensei,” _ Tsunade said, a little tipsy already. “Who else would replace you? The only requirement is that you must now wear gloves. In fact, you cannot have skin exposed. Apparently the bite has to be on skin. So no rolling your sleeves up and you have to wear gloves… Like Hatake here.” Tsunade beamed at Kakashi who just rolled his eyes.

Iruka let out a huge sigh of relief. “That I can handle! I wouldn’t want a child to accidentally bite me and have it mess with their pathways. I wonder what would happen?” Iruka shuttered, not willing to test it out. He turned a thoughtful expression to his leader.

“Just imagine a little pre-genin biting you and getting some strange new kekkei genkai!” Tsunade cackled at whatever image was conjured up in her head. “They would probably use it to pick their nose more efficiently!” Her laughter crescendoed and a minute later she was wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. Clearly she was a little more drunk than they thought.

Iruka couldn’t help but still admire the woman, no matter how much she had to drink. He was able to give ninja an incredible amount of power and yet, she was letting him hide it away. It was a bold move for a leader of a hidden village. He was suddenly extremely grateful that Naruto had convinced her to come back and she had agreed to take the post as the Godaime Hokage. He doubted her alternative would have been so considerate.

“Thank you, Tsunade-sama. Thank you so much for this.” Iruka bowed low. He was extremely grateful for this woman.

“Hm, yeah, of course, please stand up straight and get out of my sight now. You should rest up and get ready for work tomorrow. Classes won’t teach themselves.” Tsunade hid a light flush from her cheeks behind her steepled fingers as she watched Iruka smile brightly and leave the office.

Kakashi lingered.

“What, brat?” She eyed him critically.

“Will you be placing watches on Iruka?”

“What business if that of yours? You are no longer in ANBU in case you’ve forgotten.”

“Could you put me in the rotation?”

“Kakashi... “ Tsunade was shocked, but she recovered quickly. “Are you missing his company already?”

Kakashi didn’t deign her with a response, instead he looked out the window at the storm that was coming in. It reminded him of the incredible combination of Kekkei Genkai that Iruka’s power had given him. The effect had faded after about 10 minutes, but he could still feel the tingle in his chakra pathways even days later. He couldn’t get his chakra to behave that way again on his own, and yet he would never try the bite on Iruka again.

“I will not let anything happen to him, Kakashi. I am the Hokage after all. It’s my job.” He still didn’t meet her eyes. She 'tsk'ed at his poor attitude to his superior. “If you will just go on your own and watch over him, I can’t stop him from putting in a restraining order.”

“Did Shiranami give you any more information before the tattoo?” Kakashi changed the topic swiftly.

“He was incredibly open, but also didn’t let me know anything about how to make more like Iruka. He seemed… repentful.” Kakashi had gagged and bound both the traitors for their journey back to Konoha, so he had no idea of Shiranami’s change of heart.

"Nothing about how to stop it? To re-lock the power up?" Kakashi finally looked back he her and his concern was clearly showing in his eye.

"Unfortunately, he and his brother hadn't thought about needing to do that, so he wasn't sure. I will be looking into it though. I can't say that it isn't tempting to keep his power though. It's an incredible asset." Tsunade divolged.

"I will fight you every step of the way if you use that asset." Kakashi challenged. Kakashi rarely challenged her commands, he understood they were ninja and that meant sacrifices. It rattled her for a moment.

"You know I would win every time, brat." Kakashi didn't look amused. "Don't worry, I know where Iruka's true worth lies." She wasn't just placating him. She meant it. But she hoped he understood her position as well.

“Good. Well, I’ll see you back here for that restraining order.” Kakashi gave a two finger salute and leapt from the window, clearly eager to get home before the storm. He would, of course, first check in with Iruka.

* * *

It was a week later and it was incredible how easy it was for Kakashi to slip into Iruka’s life. Iruka was regimented, so figuring out his schedule was a breeze, and after that, it was as simple as strategically ambling into his path as often as possible.

Currently Kakashi was following Iruka to lunch, which was of course ramen. This man was going to get hypertension with all the sodium he consumed.

“Oh, I got a letter from Shiranami today.”

Kakashi perked up at that. Iruka hadn’t said much about the mission, but Kakashi noticed how he would rub the bite marks on his forearm whenever he would first see Kakashi everyday.

“Hmm? What did it say?”

“He burned all the notes on his research before anyone from the village got a look. The village decided not to execute him still. They will put him in prison for life though. Akaboshi has been allowed to remain as a sensei, but has to check in with an officer and have random house inspections. Apparently Shiranami has taken full responsibility to lighten the burden on Akaboshi.”

“He really changed a lot in that cell with you then, eh? What did you do?” Kakashi have Iruka a coy look.

“Me?! I just yelled at him.” Iruka huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

Kakashi laughed at the childish gesture. “Well, you can be very intimidating, any jounin or old student of yours would agree. ‘avoid angering Iruka-sensei’ is something we should teach to the pre-pre-genin.”

“Ha. ha. Kakashi.” Iruka gave him a look that said, though he was clearly sarcastic in his 'ha ha's, he was still amused with the man. “I actually used a line from you apparently.”

“Eh?”

“Naruto told me about it… ‘those who fail in their mission are trash, but those who fail their friends are worse than trash.’ I adapted it a bit, but… seemed to work!” Iruka blasted Kakashi with a bright smile and Kakashi actually had to turn away to regain his faculties.

After a moment he was able to respond, “That’s close… and it wasn’t from me… it was from a very wise old friend.”

“Hm? Gai said that?” Iruka cocked his head to the side and Kakashi knew he needed to continue to stare straight ahead and not at the sensei.

“Ha, no, not Gai.”

“Asuma or Kurenai then?” Iruka leaned closer, clearly very interested in Kakashi sharing something about himself for once.

“Someone you won’t be able to thank properly.” Kakashi said cryptically.

“I see. Too bad.” Iruka knew what that meant. They all had lost many people, friends, family, colleagues, peers, and they always carried some regrets. Clearly this wasn’t someone Kakashi was ready to open up about. Maybe one day. Iruka hoped so at least.

“It makes sense that your power would be to make others more powerful,” Kakashi said, changing the subject so quickly it made Iruka double-take.

“Huh?”

“Maa, you are always making others better. Whether by your teaching or… by just being there.” Kakashi wasn’t sure how he was originally planning on ending that sentence, but he was sure that whatever he wanted to say was better left unsaid.

Iruka smiled and laid his hand over Kakashi’s on the bar top, “Thank you.” Iruka squeezed Kakashi’s hand before he let go to eat his just-delivered soup. What exactly he was thanking Kakashi for was left in the air, but Iruka knew it was for more than just the kind words.

Kakashi ignored his bowl as it was placed in front of him. His eye didn’t leave his hand. It tingled and Kakashi hoped it was just a lingering effect of the bite and nothing more.

When he looked back up at Iruka slurping his noodles and blushed, he wasn’t so sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for this ending. I... I really liked the first couple chapters of this story and I still really like the overall plot, but I'm not sure about the ending chapter. I... feel very incomplete. I may make a sequel where Danzo finds out about this power or something... (if there is any interest at all haha). I'm not sure. I wrote this very spur of the moment and I know it is how it should go but also... hmm... well anyway, that's not really your problem! haha. Thank for following through and reading all this! I hope you enjoyed, but feel free to leave constructive criticism or joy in the comments as you see fit. all comments and kudos are suuuuper appreciated as always. :D


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